StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection
by redemption2
Summary: Her mistake. His rage. Now her pupils are being picked off one by one, all for one purpose. The second half of the StrikerS saga starts now. Author Announcement: A new story has begun! Leyline Expedition Force, based on ViVid and Force!
1. Chapter 1

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection

"Divine… Buster!" The brunette mage in a white and blue barrier jacket pointed her energy-charged device at the two enemies on the ground. "SHOOT!" The bright light consumed them both, their barrier shields shattering. Understanding her fate, the female of the two turned back to a little alcove into which she cast a final smile.

"Nanoha-chan." Her radio activated in her ear. "Do you need help? I've cleared my area and am ready to support if needed."

"No… I'm fine. Thank you, Fate-chan." She surveyed the wreckage. "I've disposed of the enemy mages. It appears that everything is… ah!" She gasped.

From the alcove hidden in the wreckage emerged a young boy with bright green hair. He had a barrier jacket on, his left sleeve bloody from the deep cut that made his arm practically useless. In his other hand he carried a pitch black cartridge staff. "Unforgiveable."

Nanoha's mouth was open wide as she stared at him from above. "Nanoha-chan? Nanoha-chan, what's wrong? Did something happen? Nanoha-chan!"

"How dare you… how dare you?!" He raised his head to reveal his piercing purple eyes. He gripped his device tighter. "Jormungand!"

In a tin male voice, it spoke. "_Sonic Move!_" In a blaze of green light he raced passed her.

"Ah!" She turned around, readying her staff for an attack.

As he reappeared he snarled. "I'll avenge them." He lifted his weapon over his head. "I'll take my revenge for my parents right here and now!"

"P-parents?" Nanoha's staff went down to her side.

"_Explosion!_" Jormungand blinked as it loaded a cartridge. Propulsion energy began to pour out of it.

The boy held it back with one hand as he forced his other to make a sign, yelling out from the pain. "Blackest regions of space, bring me the strength of what's hidden! Dark Matter Lance!" Black and purple waves rippled around the tip and blades. "LAUNCH!"

"I… killed this boy's… parents…."

Raging Heart blinked. "_Incoming attack. Block?_"

"I… I killed his…." The black beam and boy combo came rushing at her, targeting her heart.

"_Emergency Override. Nanoha is unfit for battle. Level three counter, Round Shield and Chain Bind, HQ permission granted._" With her own power, Raging Heart slid in between and spread a barrier. "_Casting Bind._" Three balls of energy burst into a complex web of fibers that wrapped around the boy.

"What? GAH!" He was sent to the ground below.

"Those two mages… they attacked to keep… him safe? Not as soldiers? Then they were…."

"My parents." He spoke in a grunt as he got to his feet, the constraining field still holding his arms down. Nanoha's eyes quivered as she gasped, the color palate in her eyes reversing. She stared at him with those odd colors as he forced his working fingers to lift Jormungand. "Load Caster, shell two."

"_But that will…_" It objected.

"LOAD CASTER!"

"… _Acknowledged."_ A special bullet loaded into the casing. Two blades shot out the back of the scepter, one cutting into the bonds that held the boy.

"GAAAAAAHHH!" He screamed, causing Nanoha's eyes to widen even more.

"Why?" She whispered, her entire body trembling, her hand over her mouth, just waiting to puke. "Why did you…?"

The boy stood up, blood trickling down his legs from the gash in his chest. "Curse Field."

"_Curse Field!_" He was surrounded by a black magical circle and a chill wind blew through him.

He took a fresh breath and looked into her eyes with a demonic red. "Load Caster, shell seven." Without questioning, Jormungand obeyed.

A black and red flame covered the device, extending over the blades. With a blank look, he pointed it straight towards the airborne maiden. "_Viral Lancer._"

"_Tamahachi Nanoha. Imminent danger._" Raging Heart blinked.

The boy leapt into the air. "SHOOT!" He and this device thrust forward, consumed by the flame.

As the flames spread across the sky, to Nanoha's vision it looked like the jaws of death itself. "Don't come near me!" She squealed in fear as her magical energies appeared in spheres in front of her.

"_Crossfire Shot._" The pink balls became projectiles as they completely coated him.

"KGH! Must… make… GAH!" The forces canceled each other out.

"Stay away, stay away, STAY AWAY!" She didn't even look as her enemy was forced to the ground again, and yet still got pummeled by her endless attack.

"_Master._" Raging Heart's voice forced her to stop and open her eyes.

"Oh no!" The smoke cleared below, the green mop was face down in a crater. "What have I done?!"

"Huk!" The boy shoved his staff into the ground and, inch by inch, he rose to standing position.

"No way…."

"I'm using the last one, Dad. Jormungand, load caster, shell nine."

"_You are aware of the results of shell nine._"

"Ah."

"… _Loading._" Black balls of energy appeared everywhere and began to consolidate on the tip of the device as it glowed red hot.

"Why…." Nanoha couldn't think straight. "Why are you going so far?! What can I do to make you stop?!"

"Either you die, I die, or we both die! Either way, this last attack will decide it!"

"_High power anomaly detected. Levels increasing at alarming rate._"

"Singularity Cannon, charge set to 300 percent!"

"Nanoha-chan!" Her radio hissed with Hayate's voice. "I'm getting extremely high energy readings, it's off the scale! What's going on over there?"

"H-he said 'Singularity Cannon'."

"SINGULARITY CANNON?! That's a Five S rank! Get out of there, NOW!"

"EH? Five S?! But he's just a boy! That will…" Nanoha dove for him. "No, you can't! That kind of power will destroy you!"

"_Target locked on!_" Jormungand blinked as Nanoha approached at full speed. "_Farewell, Soran._"

"Ah, farewell, partner. Mom. Dad. I'll see you soon. SINGULARITY CANNON, SHO-" Without warning, Jormungand's AI crystal split in half, and the entire device shattered. The energy lost stability and the world stood still for a second.

When the time dialation returned to normal, Nanoha had been blown a mile away, and she looked up at the ball of smoke that reached up into the stratosphere. "No…." A tear ran down her cheek. "My mistake… my mistake…. WHY WOULDN'T YOU LET ME SAVE YOU?!"

Five years later:

Nanoha bent down with her bouquet of flowers, placing it in the center of a large crater. She sniffled as tears escaped her eyes. "Nanoha-chan…." Fate's thoughts reached her ears.

"I know. Fate-chan." She turned around after rubbing away the moisture. She looked up to the four charges at the edge of the crater. "And this is why you should always check your intelligence before engaging in battle. That little boy's death could have been avoided, his and his parents, if I had done the proper recon. It was five years ago today. Subaru, he would probably be your age by now if he had lived. Don't ever let yourselves have something like that hanging over your heads. You're all dismissed. We'll meet again tomorrow."

An hour later:

Subaru shoved the restaurant doors open, panting as she scanned the room. "Hard day at work?" A male voice spoke from behind her.

She gasped happily and turned around. "A depressing one. She took us to a grave site and told us a sad story." Subaru hugged him tight and planted a short kiss on his lips. "But I feel way better now that we're together again, Soran."

"Same with me, Subaru." He stared at her with his bright purple eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 2

It was night at the dorms as a bright blue magical energy with scrawl on it painted the air. Silently a pair of roller blades dashed across it and up to the helipad. "Shari." The figure whispered.

"Hai." The bespectacled techie opened the door from her watch in the control room. She giggled. "Did you have fun?"

"Unh." The blades disappeared from her feet and her normal shoes materialized. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow. I have to get back." She padded down the hall quickly. As the figure opened up the door, she saw an orange-headed girl sleeping in her lower bunk. 'Ah, thank you! She's asleep. I need to get in bed quickly.'

She stripped out of her clothes quickly, when she was down to her underwear she reached for her nightclothes. "Finally caught you." She stopped in her tracks. "And just where the hell were you, Subaru?"

"T-Tea?" The blue-headed girl turned around. She found her partner and sometimes friend kneeling behind the door with a magic circle under her. Looking to the bed, she saw that the one there had disappeared. "Tch, illusion magic."

"It's time to pay the piper, Subaru. You've been doing this once a week for God knows how long. And if I've noticed it then you just KNOW the instructors have. Just where do you go every week? You're not doing anything criminal, right?"

"Eh?! No of course not! Tea you know me better than that!" The illusionist raised an eyebrow. "Well okay, there was this one time when I stole a cookie from the cafeteria back at the academy, but I was starving, you know that!"

Teana tromped over to her. "Then what the hell is it you've been doing? Your training suffers the day after, and you're holding the rest of us back. Especially since Nanoha's mock battles are tomorrow in the early morning!"

"Tea… I'm sorry." She looked away. "It's just that this is my only chance to get out, since Shari-san is on shift only this night. It's the only time I get to see him."

"See who? If it's your father or sister I can understand."

"My boyfriend." She whispered under her breath.

Tea's jaw hit the floor and she couldn't think. "K…Koi…" She turned red. "BOYFRIEND?!"

"Shh! Keep it down, Tea!"

"When did you… no, scratch the when, how did you manage to land a boyfriend? I was with you all the time."

"Hey, what do you mean 'how'? Am I suddenly not cute enough to get a boyfriend?"

"That doesn't matter! You… with a boyfriend… I just can't picture it!"

Subaru pouted as she remembered to start dressing. "It's not like you don't have someone of your own. You and your precious Vice-kun."

Tea's jaw dropped in shock again as her face went completely red. "Th-that's… that's a professional relationship, you fool! When it comes to weaponry, he's my senior! I'm just trying to be friendly and learn from him. Just to learn, that's all!"

"Uh-huh." Subaru hoisted herself into her bunk. "But I only get to see him once a week, and if I don't, I really miss him."

"Sounds like you really like this guy."

"Unh. I talked with Shari, and she told me that if she was on shift, she would let me back in without problems."

"That woman is a hopeless romantic, isn't she?"

"And Nanoha-san changed the schedules so that the mock battles are the next morning. So I've not been getting much sleep the night before. Speaking of which, Tea, I'm about to pass out here."

"Just one more thing. What's his name?" She climbed into her own bed.

Subaru smiled as her eyes closed. "Soran… Soran Berkt."

"Okay, that's enough!" Nanoha blew her whistle and all the forwards gathered. "Looks like you're all warmed up for today's mock battle."

"Hai!"

"Too bad there isn't going to be one." The forwards blinked, waiting for more. "Tomorrow is the public inspection of Section Six. Does anyone know what that means? Hai, Erio, let's hear it."

"Ma'am!" He straightened. "Each department of the military not deemed top secret holds a sort of open-house event exhibiting the talents of servicemembers. It is also a time for the military to recruit members."

"Correct. That means we'll be doing our mock battles tomorrow instead. We're going to show the worlds what Section Six is made of. This will give you all the opportunity to bring your friends in too. Of course the battles are only one event. We'll have plenty of food and games set up, so it'll be a nice big festival." As she continued describing the event, the forwards smiled and turned to each other, excited for the day to come.

"Well, Signum and I aren't that good at putting things up more than we are at knocking them down." Vita tapped Eisen on her shoulder. "So we're going to need your help to set things up. Any extra time left over at the end will be free, so you can do what you want."

"You mean…" Erio's grin got wider.

"A vacation day? And a festival after that?!" Teana could barely contain her excitement.

"Unh." Nanoha nodded. "Of course if you don't have everything set up before you leave, it's going to be a problem for everyone, so let's get to it!"

"Hai!"

Caro leaned forward. "Let's get everything done in three hours! Then we'll have lunch and the rest of the day is free!"

"Sounds good to me." Teana nodded. "Subaru, go with Caro and Fried to get the materials. Erio and I will start plotting out the tent locations."

"Understood." Subaru saluted. "Now, let's go, Caro! Fried!"

"Hyuu!" The little dragon grinned as its master agreed.

As Subaru turned away, Nanoha called her back. "Oh, and Subaru."

"Uh? Hai." She rolled back over to the older teen.

Nanoha leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I expect him to be here tomorrow too. Your bo-y-fr-ie-nd." Subaru stiffened and gulped. "Oh and I've had to switch Shari's shift again… to Friday nights. Look after her for me, okay? She gets lonely easily."

"Uh… um… well…."

"Technically I should put you in solitary, or at the very least lock your use of Mach Caliber. The least you could do is say thanks."

"H…hai. Arigato gozaimasu." She bowed low, before dashing off to catch up with Caro.

Subaru lugged the tents over her shoulder one by one, finally feeling grateful for her cyborg frame. Fried flew overhead with a palate of holo-image game projectors as Caro gave directions to him from the ground. PVOW. PVOW. Teana shot holes in the ground into which she put the stakes. "HAH!" Vita slammed the first one with Eisen. Everyone stared at her in disbelief, the stake now completely buried in the ground. "Hmm, guess I overdid it."

"_Sie sind nicht ein sanftes Mädchen." _You are not a gentle girl. Eisen teased.

"Shut up, you!"

"Rein, Erio. Are you ready?" Signum gripped the hilt of her sword.

Erio gulped as he held onto a long trail of multicolored paper with one hand, and Strada's jet form in the other, floating in midair. "M-More or less."

"Hai desu!" Rein waved from the other end of the long trail.

"Akito, make sure you catch it all." She reminded her unison partner.

"Heh, who do you think you're talking to?" She crossed her arms.

"Levantine!" Signum twisted the hilt and it loaded a cartridge.

"_Schlangenform."_ Serpent Form Her sword flashed forward, breaking into separate blades held together by wire. With blinding speed she whipped it around and through the paper barrier multiple times.

"Woah! Here we go! Ah! Almost missed that one! Get back here you!" Akito dashed back and forth with a giant bag under her to catch all the pieces.

Signum returned her sword to its casing. "I've cut another useless object."

"Whew!" Akito panted. "That's all of it."

"Yay! Operation Confetti is a success desu!"

"Unh, unh!" Nanoha nodded, Rasing Heart floating by her side. "Good teamwork. Battles aren't the only way to teach that."

"_The devices seem to have fun as well._" Her partner blinked.

"It's because they all share the same desire. To be one with each other, and become the best they can be for everyone's sake. It's what makes them strong."

"_And us strong too._"

"Exactly." She giggled.

"Mama! Nanoha-mama!" Vivio ran for her with her arms wide, Fate and Hayate slowly approaching from the building as well.

"Ah! Vivio!" Her mother knelt down.

"Bwah!" Vivio tripped and fell flat on her face. "Ouchies." She grunted as she pushed herself up again. Making eye contact with her mom cheered her up and she dashed forward again, giving Nanoha a giant hug. "Mama. Nanoha-mama, can Vivio help too?"

"More accurately, can all of us lend a hand?" Hayate played with a strand of her hair as she stopped in front of the family.

"Unh. Of course." Nanoha stood up and patted Vivo's head. "We'll all do our part."

"Hey, Fried, what are you… woah!" Caro gasped as the dragon lost its grip on the palate and its shadow began to get larger and larger underneath her.

"Caro!" Subaru gasped as she dashed to her aid.

"_Protection._" Mach Caliber cast a field directly above them.

"Bardiche!"

"_Zanber Form!_" Fate slid the giant blade underneath the palate.

"Get out of there, you two!"

"Just leave that to me!" Zaphila galloped forward, grabbing Caro by the scruff of her neck and slamming Subaru to the side.

"Bardiche, mode cancel. Return to standby form."

"_Javohl._" Understood. The black equipment exploded, and it returned to the golden triangle of its compact form. The palette hit the ground hard, making everyone shake.

"Thank you, Zaphila." Caro dusted herself off. "Uh? Fried!" The dragon was panting heavily as it lay on the ground. "Fried… this is what happens when you go overboard. You shouldn't push yourself so much. You need to rest."

"Hurruh, hurruh." It shook its head.

"No arguments now." Her summoning powers activated and the big dragon returned to its more compact form. "Vivio, could you look after Fried for me? That'll be your job."

"Hai!" Vivio happily picked up the little pet. "Let's have fun today, Fried!"

"But now, what are we gonna do with this wreck?" Tea scratched the back of her head as she looked at the crashed technology.

"Well, I guess that means it's our turn. Raising Heart."

"_Yes, my Master._" The little orb turned into her basic staff. "_Chain Bind_."

Small Raising Heart bits materialized around the smashed crate and shot out energy ropes. "Everyone, I'll lift off the lid. Surround and catch whatever starts to fall out, okay?"

"Hai!"

"Okay! Everything's complete!" Nanoha announced. "A couple of setbacks pushed us back about an hour, but good work everyone. Hayate-chan, how is it?"

The young woman surveyed the field. All the tents were set up. All but two of the game projectors were functioning normally, and the decorations were ready to be set up tomorrow. "It looks just great. Thank you everyone."

"Hai. Arigato gozaimasu." The forwards bowed.

"Now I've got a little present for all of you, including the commanders too." She held up a bundle of envelopes. "Bonuses!"

"EH?!" Everyone took a step back.

"You're all long overdue for this, so please, take this bonus and use it today and tomorrow."

Teana opened her envelope. "Uh… this much? Yagami-daicho, this is far more than I deserve!"

"Oh stop that, stop." She waved off the others as they began to agree. "Remember everything you've all been through. Besides, who is the commander around here? Don't make me make it an order, okay? Just take it and be grateful."

Subaru stuffed her envelope in her pocket and straightened. "Hai, Yagami-daicho. As the forwards of Section Six, we will not disappoint you!" She saluted, and the others followed quickly, although a bit confused as to her sudden formal reaction.

Hayate saluted in return. "Well then, enjoy the rest of your day off. All personnel, dismissed."

"Hai!"

As everyone left earshot, Signum crossed her arms and stood next to the young woman. "Are you sure this is ok? You gave up one of your own paychecks to give them that bonus, didn't you? Will you be ok?"

"Don't worry about me, Signum. You should enjoy this as well. Besides, I'm getting paid enough that I can skip one check. They all deserve this. Everyone has sacrificed their lives, personal well being, and happiness for Section Six. When Nanoha-chan told me about Subaru, I finally realized what I was taking from her and everyone. The least I can do is to let them be normal children for a while."

"In that case, I shall accompany you today. It has been a while, after all."

"Eh? Signum?"

"You forget about your own personal happiness, Master. As your loyal knight it is my duty to protect you and your smile."

"I'll go too." Vita put her hands behind her head. "There's not many places I can go without being treated like a minor and it pisses me off. I think I'd have more fun with the two of you anyway. Besides, you forgot to give yourself a part of the bonus, so I'll share mine."

"Guys…." Hayate looked guilty for a moment. "Thank you."

"Subaru, what was that whole thing about?" Tea shot her a look.

"Well, Hayate-san would have been really sad if we didn't accept." She looked up into the sky and rolled forward. "And I also didn't want to feel bad about taking it either, because it would have showed as well." She turned around and winked at the rest of the young squad while rolling backwards. "So let's use some of the dough to get her something really nice!"

"Uh? Hey that's a good idea! We should get something for the captains too!" Erio nodded.

"But what kind of stuff should we get, I wonder." Caro pondered the subject.

Mach Caliber blinked. _"Incoming message, Master._"

"Uh?" The video window popped up next to her.

"Yo."

"Soran-kun! Did you get my message?"

"Oooh. Uh-huuu." Teana chuckled. "So it's Subaru's phantom boyfriend."

"Eh?" Erio blinked in disbelief.

"Just when did she…." Caro also couldn't believe her ears.

"Sorry for being a phantom. Honestly. She's really as annoying as you said, Su." The video spoke.

"Ehheheh…" Subaru sweatdropped.

"I got your message. I'll be waiting in the usual spot. See you soon." The window closed.

"Su-Ba-Ru…." Tea's eyes were dark, and waves of ominous energy undulated from her.

"Well guys, I have to get going! Wing Road!" Her wheels ground the magic bridge as fast as she could.

"Get back here you!"

An hour and a half later…

Subaru burst into the restaurant, panting. She looked around the room until she saw a teen her own age signal her. "Yo." He spoke as she sat down. "A bit late, aren't you, Subaru?" She looked up to 

meet his gaze. His eyes were a captivating bright purple. His skin was very well tanned, except his left arm. That seemed to be a bit pale in color. He also had long black hair with a slight green tint to it, spiked into one of the latest styles.

"My bad, my bad. Tea was chasing me all over the place. What was with that anyway, Soran?"

"With what? You mean calling her annoying?"

"Yeah!"

"Well that's what she is, isn't she?" He smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"No I… I mean she's my best friend, Soran, annoying or not. You shouldn't just call her that, especially when you haven't met her."

"Okay, okay… fine." He sighed as he put his feet on the table and leaned back on the heels of his chair.

Subaru blinked at the action. "So we're finally back together again. What do you want to do?"

"Well first off I'd like to…" He pulled out a standard device staff with civilian markings and put it under her chin, "know just who the hell you are?"

"Eh? Soran? Wh-what are you doing?" Subaru trembled.

Suddenly another blue-haired girl burst in, her blades still on her feet. "Soran? Soran are you…" She gasped as she saw the girl in front of him. "TEA!"

"Eheh… looks like I've been found out. Oh well." The seated girl shimmered away, and Teana Lanster was in her place. "It was fun while it lasted."

"Tea, I can't believe you! Mach Caliber, standby."

"_All right._" Her roller blades disappeared and her necklace reappeared around her neck.

She sat down next to Soran as his device returned to normal as well. "So this is the infamous Teana Lanster. Su has told me a lot about you. Not enough to know you'd pull a trick like that though."

Tea shrugged, fixing her hair. "Well it's not exactly an easy thing for me. You're boobs are small in comparison with mine, Subaru, it was tough to keep the dimensions right in the transformation." Subaru blushed. "So how'd you figure it out?"

"Simple really." He put his feet up on the table again.

"Ah! Soran, stop that!" Subaru pouted. "That's dangerous, plus the owners won't like it when you leave footprints on the furniture!"

"That." He held his hand out to exhibit the girl. Subaru blushed. "She's a creature of habit, this one. Every time I put my feet up on a table she scolds me. All you did was blink."

Tea glanced over to her roommate, who kept fidgeting and blushing. She activated her mind link. 'God, will you quit it? You're acting like a little schoolgirl with cooties!'

'I can't help it! This is the first time he's met anyone I know.'

'Oh girls…!' Soran's voice echoed in both their heads.

'Wha?'

'Agh, he's in my head!'

'It's kind of rude to talk behind someone's back when they're sitting in front of you.' "So can we actually make a conversation here?"

"Oh yeah… sorry about that." Tea tried to avoid eye contact. "Because of that little prank, I'm buying." A menu appeared on a screen after she lifted up her hand. "What do you guys want?"

"Thanks for the wait." The waitress put down their order. "Two meat lovers pizzas with mushrooms, and a veggie lovers, light on the cheese."

"Thanks for the meal!" All three spoke and Soran and Subaru dug in, while Tea watched with a look of slight disgust.

"I can't believe you two can eat that stuff." She lifted a slice of her own.

"Well, you know me, Tea. Gotta grease the ol' gears once in a while."

"Subaru!" Tea scolded. She leaned over to whisper. "You're going to give away your secret!"

"Oh, if you mean about that cyborg thing, I already know." Soran waved it off. Tea's eyes went wide. "Don't worry, I'm not concerned about it. Cyborg or no, she's still a great girl, right? And a girl this beautiful can't be manufactured, only grown over a long 15 years of development." He stared straight into Subaru's eyes.

"S-Soran…" She completely turned red. "Stop it. Stop it!" She hit him playfully. "You're embarrassing me so freaking much!"

"But you're so much fun to tease, Su!"

"But still… saying something like that in public…"

"What would you rather me say? That I wish to whisk you away on a romantic journey that we'll spend the rest of our lives on?" Soran took a fake bow.

"No! Oh god, that's even worse!"

All the while, Tea's eyes just dashed back and forth between speakers, looking bored. "Somehow you guys are pissing me off." She sipped her soda. "You wanna stop gushing for a bit and actually speak words? Like how did the two of you meet?"

"Oh, that? Eheheh…" Subaru rubbed the back of her head. "It's kind of a stupid story."

"Trust me, I live for stupid… I room with you after all."

"MmmH!" She huffed. "You remember the last time we had a full day off? I was so excited the day before that I didn't sleep a wink, and late night training had drained me earlier in the week. So at one point in the middle of downtown I just passed out."

"I was the first one to find her, so I took her to the nearest bench. I was about to call for help, but she woke up."

"I guess you could say it was the damsel in distress scenario. My knight saved the day."

"I was worried that she'd pass out again so I stayed with her, since I wasn't doing anything anyway. Eventually it turned into a full fledged date."

"We've been together ever since."

"Hmmm?" Teana sipped on her drink again. "Sounds like a scenario only a weak anime or bad fanfiction could come up with. But if that's the way it happened, then truth is stranger than fiction."

"Tea, why are you being so cruel?" Subaru puffed out her cheeks and sulked.

"Probably the wrong time of the month." Soran took a verbal swing back at her, and Tea looked like her device had shot her. As if on cue, Tea's dessert arrived, a super-decadent chocolate cake. "I rest my case." In realizing that saying anything more would hurt her case more than help it, Tea shoved a big forkful in her mouth and sulk-chewed.

"Oh, Soran!" A light went off in Subaru's brain. "We're having an open house at Section Six tomorrow. Think you can make it?"

"Eh? An open house?" The boy raised his eyebrow. "I dunno Su, that's a military installation after all. I'm a freelance mage. They don't exactly take kindly to me."

"Please? The instructors really want to meet you, especially Nanoha-san!"

"Yeah, she's wants to know who's been making her fail her morning tests every week." Tea snickered before ordering some coffee.

"Mmph!" Subaru glared at her again. "Besides, Soran, you'll get to see all sorts of rare devices in action! That's your hobby, isn't it?"

He chuckled and sighed. "Okay, okay! You win! You know me too well, Su."

"Yes!" She pumped her fist. "Hey, wanna go see a movie?"

"Sure, what's playing?"

"Dunno. Give me a sec, I'll call ahead and find out." Subaru stood up and left.

Once she was outside the door, Teana shot Soran the meanest look she could muster. "If I find out that you're with her only because she has a rare device, I will shoot your balls straight off."

"I don't care about her device, Teana. Well okay, I admit I do find it interesting, but in the end it pales in comparison with her herself." He smiled at her. "Thank you though. By threatening me, you've proven that you really are her best friend."

"I… I…."

"Let's make a deal." He put his feet on the table again. "If for some reason I hurt her because of my love of rare devices, I expect you to keep your promise. On the flipside, you have to be the maid of honor at the wedding if I don't." Soran gave her a quick wink.

Tea was speechless. She wasn't able to say anything anyway, because Subaru returned. "They just got a shipment of Terran movies in! Who wants to watch Saw VIII? Ah! Soran you put your feet on the table again!"


	3. Chapter 3

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 3

The sun rose on the fields of Section Six HQ. The silent rows of tents slowly began to fill as people began to trickle in. Soon, everything was bustling with life. The festival had begun. Hayate sat in the situation room, watching over it all. "Shamal, how is the medical room?"

"We've had a few kids come in with a couple of scrapes, but there have been no major problems." The blonde woman spoke before her window closed.

"Zaphila, how's the armory?"

"Sealed tight." The wolf opened his mouth. "No one's getting through me."

"Akito, Signum, how are the lines?"

"We had a few reckless children to deal with." Signum floated above, fused with her partner.

"But don't worry, we taught 'em good!" Akito answered from within. Hayate sweatdropped while wondering what kind of teaching methods they used.

"As for the entrance, it looks like the line extends for about two blocks."

"TWO BLOCKS?!" Vita yelled from the front desk. "Aw man… I can't take much more of this. Hand out please."

A customer put forth his arm, and Vita smacked Eisen into a pad of ink and slapped it onto the back of the guy's hand. "_Mein Gesicht schmerzt._" My face hurts.

"Deal with it, Eisen. Next please."

Hayate covered her mouth in a chuckle. "You shouldn't be doing this desu!" Rein floated over to her and smacked her with her little book. "Hayate-chan should be out there having fun with everyone else desu!"

"But what about everyone here? I just can't leave."

"Yagami-daichou." Shari turned around in her seat. "We all are trained professionals which you have personally handpicked. I think we can handle a simple festival on our own."

"But…"

"She's right you know." Vice spoke from his position leaning in the doorway. "This is section six's fun day, so go have fun already!"

"But…"

He sighed. "She's gonna be a tough case. Oi, Rein."

"Hai desu!" The little woman saluted before pressing her hand against Hayate's chest. "Unison… Out!"

"Out? Hey, wait!"

But it was too late. Hayate's hair grew long and turned blonde. Her eyes opened to a bright shade of blue. "Ah! So this is what it's like to be big desu!" She looked around and down. "Hmm? Hayate-chan, you're big in this area too."

"Don't squeeze them!" Hayate yelled from in her head.

"Come on, Rein. We'll head outside and release her there."

"Hai desu!" She kicked off… and fell flat on her face. "Itte!"

"You can't fly in Out form, Rein." Shari mentioned a little too late.

Vice slapped his forehead. "This is turning out to be a great idea."

Caro and Erio stretched in their battle uniforms next to the bathrooms. Teana sat on the bench and polished Cross Mirage. "There. How are you feeling now?"

"_My output is up ten percent."_

"Good. Oi, Subaru. How long are you gonna stay in there?" She tilted her head back and yelled into the ladies room.

They all heard a flush, and soon Subaru rolled out on Mach Caliber, acting sluggish. "Uggh… I think that pizza yesterday was too greasy."

"I warned you." She sighed and shook her head.

The mental link activated in all of their ears. "Oi! Forwards upfront ASAP!" Vita growled. "We've got a rogue mage trying to get in!"

"A rouge mage?" Erio gasped.

"Why would one try to get into a military complex?" Caro echoed his thoughts.

"Rouge ma- you don't think…!" A light went off for Tea.

"Oh no! Mach Caliber!"

"_Wing Road_." Subaru's special blue pathway painted its way into the air.

"Egh!" Vita swung at the enemy mage. He slid to the side and avoided the shot. "Hold still, you little fly!"

"I'm not here to fight! It's too dangerous with all these people out here!"

"Then why don't you just get out?" She reared up.

"I was invited!"

"Like I believe that shit! Smash him, Eisen!"

"_Javohl!"_

Her hammer doubled in size. "Take this!"

"Engh! Round Shield Triple!" Three magic circles piled one on top of the other above him. Vita smashed through the first shield, but it slowed it enough she had to force her way through the second. At the third shield her hammer slowed to a stop, and the dark haired teen gripped the hammer head tight.

"Incredible. He stopped Eisen's attack by combining three advanced defense skills at once!" Vita's jaw dropped. "But it's still not done!" She pressed forward, increasing the weight.

"Ergh!" The boy went down to one knee as he desperately fought back.

Suddenly, a flash of blue light and a clang reached both of their ears. The pressure was taken off. "Subaru! What are you doing?"

Subaru's eyes were enraged, and she held Eisen tight in her mechanical fist's grasp. "Vita-budaichou…." Her face suddenly turned sweet. "Why are you attacking my boyfriend?"

"Uh?"

The shadow of the hammer slid away from the teen, who looked up with a bit of annoyance on his face. He shot Vita an angry look with his purple eyes. "See Su? I told you I shouldn't have come here! I try to get in the door and I wind up getting attacked!" He scoffed as he turned away. "I'm outta here!"

"Uh? Wait! Soran!" Subaru gaped. "Vita-san, how could you?" She ran after him.

"Let him go." She huffed. "Freelancers like him aren't welcome here."

"Vita-chan." Nanoha walked up behind her and clocked her on the noggin with Raising Heart. "That won't do. We mustn't be so intolerant. Besides, you just evicted Subaru's boyfriend. Think about how she's feeling right now."

Eisen hit the ground as Vita looked on. "Her boyfriend…." She looked extremely sad.

"See?"

"Eh? W-who would care about a stupid thing like that?!" Vita turned around with her arms crossed. Nanoha sighed. "Well go and get her. I can't apologize to them if they're not here."

"Yes ma'am." Nanoha said sarcastically as she took to the skies after the young lovers.

"Soran! Soran, hold up!" Subaru rolled up to him. "I'm really sorry about Vita-san."

"Well I'm not!" He snarled as he powerwalked. "I should thank her for reaffirming my opinion of the military. They're just cowards that won't accept anything different from what they are, and control those they think will be of use!"

"That's not true! She's just…"

"Isn't it?! Look at you! Weren't you originally promoted just because you were too powerful for the lower ranks? They wanted to control you. They also wanted to study you, just because you're a fucking cyborg!"

"'Just because I'm…'" She stopped dead in her tracks and repeated it.

Soran's eyes went wide. "Mgh!" He turned around quickly. "Wait, Su! I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry I said that. I take the whole thing back okay? You're a great mage, cyborg or no. I was just really angry there and I lashed out at you. I'm sorry, I really am."

Subaru looked away, frustration forcing her to purse and bite her lips. "Soran… if the military were like that, then I'd be dead or in a science lab right now. At the very least I would be no better off than one of Scallietti's Twelve! My parents adopted me and Gin-nee, saving me from that kind of fate, and they were high ranking military!" She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I know you have some big prejudices about them, but you have no right to say that to me! That TSAB and the military are just using me? That they're keeping me for study? That's beyond cruel!"

"Su… I'm sorry. I made a big ass of myself just now. I realize that…." The hair on his neck bristled and he jumped in front of Subaru, his gray-blue metallic staff at the ready as he looked into the sky.

"Well I certainly would like to think we're not all that bad." A brunette in a white and blue battle suit and barrier jacket floated above them. "If they were, I'd probably quit eight times over."

"Hah!" Soran gasped as his pupils twitched. He gripped his staff tighter as he aimed for her. "Kgh!"

"Hmm?" Nanoha blinked. The pose he made reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite place it. "Subaru, it's okay now. He apologized, so don't be mad at him. He just said it spur of the moment."

"Hai." Subaru sniffled as she wiped her eyes with her organic hand. "Geez, Soran, put that thing down already! That's my instructor, Takamachi Nanoha." She pointed his weapon at the ground.

"Takamachi… Nanoha?" Soran was slow to speak as she descended.

"That's right. It's nice to finally meet the boy who stole my best student's heart." She landed and held a hand out to him.

"Keh!" He turned away. "And what are you here for? To tell me I can't have a relationship with a TSAB Military officer?"

"Still embittered, I see." Nanoha sighed. "Well, that's understandable, I suppose. In fact I was here for just the opposite. Vita-chan always has had a hot head, and she jumps to conclusions easily. I'm here to personally escort you back. She wants to apologize, and Hayate-daichou would too."

"Nanoha-san…." Subaru looked to her idol. "See Soran? Everything worked out after all."

"Would that be acceptable to you, Soran-san?"

"Kgh!" Soran gritted his teeth as his brow trembled. "It is on one condition. I'd like to have a sparring match with you later on today."

"Eh?" Both girls were surprised.

Soran forced back his rage and smiled. "Nanoha-san, your reputation precedes you. This one over here spouts words of adoration for you like a fountain." Subaru turned red and looked away. "And there are very few mages that haven't heard the name of the White Devil. It would be an honor to face you in one on one combat. You're having mock battles throughout the day, correct?"

"U-unh." Nanoha blinked. "Well I suppose it could be fun!" She offered her hand again. "But just because you're Subaru's boyfriend, don't think I'll go easy on you!"

He took her hand so tight, she winced with one eye. "Good, because I won't either. I look forward to it."

Vita, Hayate, and Rein all bowed in front of Soran as an apology. Then Nanoha whispered to Hayate about the deal. "Eh?! Geez, Nanoha-chan, you make things so tough on me!"

"Gomen, gomen." She scratched her head underneath her band.

After that, Subaru found the rest of the Forwards group. "Let me introduce you. Soran, this is Larry and Curly. And you've already met Mo."

"Deh! Hey, why am I suddenly Mo?" Tea pouted.

"Because you're the leader of all the antics." Subaru put her tongue out.

"Then that makes you Shemp, baka!" Tea gave her a raspberry.

"Phhht!"

"Pblphhhtt!" As the two friends began a raspberry contest, Soran just shook his head.

"Who is Larry and Curly?" Caro turned to her younger teammate.

"Dunno."

"They're a part of an old comedy team called the Three Stooges. You wouldn't have heard of it unless you watch vintage viewscreen. The name's Soran, nice to meet you."

"Erio desu." The redheaded boy bowed. "Nice to meet you."

"I-I'm Caro." The pinkheaded summoner bowed nervously with a slight blush. "Y...yoroshiku. Oh, and this is Friedrich." The little dragon squeaked.

Throughout the introduction, the childish competition still went on. Soran sighed. "Oi, aren't your mouths dry yet?!"

They both turned to him at the same time and went "Pblphht!" One last time before ending the fight.

He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and wiped his face down. "Guess not."

The festival continued.

"Ne, Soran, get me this, please?"

"Eh? You're the one with the extra cash."

"But I'm not any good at this game. Pleeeeese?"

"Egh. Hai hai."

"Erio-kun, can we try that again? We almost got the high score there."

"You… you're killing me here, Caro."

"Oi! Get back here you little brats!" Vita growled. "I'm twice your age, you know!"

The little redheaded sprite sneaked around a nikuman stand, snatching one and flashing off to hide. "Heehee! Operation successful." She opened her mouth wide.

"Akito." Signum spoke from right next to her.

"Egh?!" She recoiled. "W-when did you get here?!"

"I'm hoping you paid for that properly." Signum didn't even make eye contact. Akito snarled. "I thought so. Return it and apologize to the owner."

Begrudingly she obeyed. She floated back around the corner with her limbs swinging limp. "Aahh."

"Here." Signum reached into her bag. "Takayaki."

"Woa! Thank you, Signum!"

"Ah."

"Ah! Somebody help, desu! This cat thinks I'm its next meal desu!" Rein was flying at top speed, even trying to flap her arms to get more speed.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and children, if you will observe our terminals in the sky, we will now begin a very special exhibition match." Shari announced as windows popped up all around the festival, broadcasting from the morphing field. "Our very own ace in the sky, Takamachi Nanoha versus the mysterious freelance mage Soran Berkt. Due to circumstances, we have allowed this freelance mage to do battle with our White Devil."

Nanoha sighed. "I really hate that name."

Hayate looked on from the stands. "Soran Berkt… what do we have on him?"

"Not much, it appears." Shamal was in the control room, looking through the files. "For a freelancer, his record is pretty clean. A few early petty arrests, but those were later acquitted. It looks like he uses his magical abilities to do odd jobs such as heavy lifting. He's also done some body-guarding for some major technology firm presidents. His talent level hasn't been recently measured, so we don't know just how strong he is."

"He's sure an interesting one." Shari added. "And he's so cute! Subaru sure knows how to pick them!"

"Well, no matter." Shamal spoke. "We already know that Nanoha won't lose, even in a mock battle."

"Then why do I have goosebumps?" Hayate whispered to herself.

"Mama! Nanoha-mama! Do your best!" Vivio waved to her from the stands, where Fate held her up.

"Mhm." She smiled. "So, Soran-kun, how is this going to go? To even the field, I could use a standard device.

"Please don't make fun of me like that." Soran spoke from the other side of the field. "It wouldn't be Nanoha-san if she didn't use her own device."

"I suppose you're right. Rein, we're agreed on the terms."

"Hai desu." Rein's picture floated in between them. "The field is a standard open one, no obstacles. The length of time is 15 minutes, or until there is a clear winner found. The battle starts when I blow this whistle desu. Competitors ready!" They crouched into different positions. "FWEET desu!"

They instantly traded places on the battlefield. "Uh?" Nanoha gasped, realizing her strike hit nothing but air. "He still hasn't activated his device! How did he…?" She leapt into the air on her Artemis-like wings. In a flash of green, he was above her. "Sonic Move, and still no device?!"

"You mean this device?!" He rotated around as his grey-blue staff appeared in his right hand taking a swing at her. Nanoha couldn't cast Protection fast enough. The civilian device and Raising Heart clashed, and Nanoha was forced to retreat.

Soran put the staff pole against his right arm and held it between his index and middle fingers. "_Variable Bullet."_

"He's a shooting arts Double A rank?! Protection!"

"_Protection._"

"Nerai wa utz!" He squeezed his index finger in, and the magic bullet shot for her.

"Keh!" Nanoha struggled with the protective barrier as the energies conflicted. It detonated into a huge cloud of smoke.

"Hmmh." Soran smiled.

As the smoke cleared, so did Nanoha. "Not bad, boy. But you know…." She held the bullet in her hand and crushed it.

"Haaaah…." Soran was stunned.

"It's going to take a lot more than that!" She was upon him in a half second. Their staffs clashed in a shower of sparks. "You're really strong. If this is your way to ask for my approval for dating Subaru, you have it."

"Thanks, but this has nothing to do with her right now."

"Eh?"

"This is for my own sake. To find out if I'm stronger than you!" His left hand made a fist and another device staff appeared in it. The unexpected swing caught her in the side.

"GAH!" Nanoha went flying.

"Nanoha-chan!" Fate gasped as she stood.

"Heheh. I should have known. There's no way you could be so confident with just a simple common device."

"Yep." A magical circle appeared below him.

"_Crossfire Shot._" Balls of energy emerged from the circle around him.

"Two can play at that!"

"_Crossfire Shot."_ Raising Heart countered.

Soran was first to take the shot. Using his right staff, he fired three rounds, and then another three. Nanoha spun left to dodge the first salvo, and flipped upside down to the right to dodge the next. From that position she pointed her weapon and eight different balls curved in on him. "Hrungh!" He crossed his arms as he generated his triple round shield. They took the blast completely.

"Tch! He's at least an S-rank in defense. Maybe even a double S. I have to find a way around that barrier." She squinted past the magical scrawl. "Something else is bothering me though."

"Somehow this is turning out to be exciting." Tea watched in earnest. "I thought Soran would bite it in two seconds."

"But now I don't know who to root for." Subaru kept going back and forth. "Ah, what should I do?"

Fate's eyebrow went up. "I see! That's why she's being so cautious!"

"Aside from that first attack, he's never used his left arm. And I can't see past his shield. What's he planning?" Nanoha bit her free thumb. "Whatever it is, I have to intercept it! Raising Heart!"

"_Arc Shot!_" Six energy balls appeared in a circle around her staff. She twirled Raising Heart like a baton faster and faster. "_Velocity reached."_

"SHOOT!" The orbs were sent flying in an arc, curving around his barrier. However they parked themselves. "Chain Bind!" They burst into energy ropes that whipped towards him.

"Heh."

"_Cyclone."_ His left-hand device spoke. A twisting burst of air shot up around Soran, catching the energy chains and twisting them up into the sky, until they clashed and wrapped around each other.

Fate and Hayate stood in shock. "An elemental attack?"

From inside his wind barrier, Soran whispered. "Ignite the atmosphere and consume this world in flames." He slammed his second staff into the middle of the magic circle.

"_Inferno."_ A large flame erupted from the open end of the staff and joined the wall of wind, combining into a flaming cyclone. The chain bind disintegrated in the heat.

"Firestorm Tornado!" He lifted his first device into the air and shot at Nanoha. The entire flaming cyclone erupted from the breach.

"Nanoha-chan!" Fate cried as she gripped the railing.

The girl furrowed her brow. "_Load Cartridge." _Two casings cocked in Nanoha's staff and its wings spread.

"Divine BUSTER!" Four particle beams curved from the weapon and held back the flaming tide. The fifth beam came from the tip of the weapon and pierced the cloud, sending explosions throughout the elemental attack.

"Egh!" Soran grunted as the entire field went up in smoke again.

"Soran! Nanoha-san!" Subaru gaped at the scene.

"This is nowhere near close to a mock battle!" Tea clenched her fist. "It's like they're really going at it!"

The wind pushed the smoke away. Soran was still standing, his left arm's clothing torn, and a piece of that device crumbled off. Nanoha panted as she floated in the air, her hair was slightly singed, and her skirt around her left leg was burnt off. "Ksssh!" She winced as she noticed that her leg had suffered a small burn as well. "Raising Heart… Excellion Mode."

"_Yes, my Master._"

"Oi! Nanoha!" Vita growled at the image. "What the hell are you doing? This is a sparring match!"

Her golden staff morphed into its bayonet form. "I have no idea why, but I have a feeling that you're not pulling any punches."

"Heh. Didn't I say that before?"

"I'll try to keep from killing you, but if I'm going to defend myself at this level, you will get hurt! I'm warning you now to surrender!"

"No way!" He pulled out three more layers of Round Shield. "I'm going to see this through to the very end!"

"I see. Subaru, forgive me." She whispered to herself. "Raising Heart, I'm counting on you."

"_Starlight Breaker ex._ _Load Magazine."_ Nanoha locked an entire magazine of cartridges into the barrel, and Raising Heart cocked them all, as residual energy from the surrounding area coalesced on the tip of her lance.

"Bring it on!" A magical triangle appeared beneath his feet. "Rend this world with eternal plasma!"

"_Lightning._" At the first point, a large ball of yellow energy appeared.

"Consume this world with eternal flames!"

"_Inferno." _The second point contained a red/orange ball.

"Encase this world with eternal cold!"

"_Glacier._" The third appeared, ice blue in color.

"Elements of destruction!" He raised his shooting device into the air.

"_Trinity Buster._" All three rose up to the lance and in an earth-shaking reaction combined into one swirling mass of energy.

"No! Soran! Nanoha-san! Stop it!" Subaru lifted up onto the railing.

"Subaru, no!" Teana grabbed a hold of her quickly. "If you go out there, you'll be vaporized!"

"Soran! Soran run!" She reached out for him as her eyes turned yellow, her screams trailing off.

"May this enemy be cleansed!" He pointed straight for Nanoha and squeezed the trigger. The ball of multicolored energy swelled to gigantic proportions before it shot at breakneck speeds.

Nanoha loaded another magazine. "ACS Mode and Active Guard."

Raising Heart loaded four cartridges. "_Strike Flame._" The Active Guard surrounded Nanoha as her device was covered in white heat. They both went forward at a blinding speed, piercing the deadly beam.

"What?" Before he could completely comprehend, all three of his shields shattered. "Kegh!" He swung both of his devices to the right.

Raising Heart used up another six cartridges in the clip. Nanoha stared at him with glazed eyes. "Starlight BREAKER!" From point blank range, her attack went off.

"GOOOAAAAAHHH!" Soran yelled as his devices took the blast head on. The already damaged left device cracked and shattered. "Goodbye, friend." He looked to the suffering remaining staff. "Purge!" His last defense exploded and the blast pushed him aside. The remaining energy of Nanoha's attack tore the front of his shirt away, revealing a deep scar in his chest.

He fell back onto his butt and panted, stunned that he escaped from the attack relatively unscathed. He felt a bit of blood running from his nose and lip from the extreme change in pressure. As he wiped it off, he suddenly was aware of a smoldering golden lance thrust underneath his chin. "And this is how it ends. The winner has been clearly decided, Soran Berkt."

Soran smiled a toothy grin. "I'd have to agree!" He pulled two more devices out from his shoes and they expanded into a bladed form. He swung each for her waist hard.

"_Riot Blade._"

Bardiche's twin blade form clashed against the hidden devices. "I'm ending this now!" Fate growled. "This has gone far beyond a normal sparring match! That last attack would have killed Nanoha, and I will never let that happen!"

"Fate-chan, it's ok." Nanoha placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look." Soran's arms were held in place by two energy chains.

"Heheh." Soran smiled. "You left two Chain Bind spells unactivated. In all the commotion I didn't notice. Well played."

"Soran!" Subaru's wing road dove straight for them, the girl on it moving at top speed.

"Ah, Subaru, don't worry, he's…." Nanoha didn't get to finish the statement as Subaru's fist plowed into her face and sent her flying.

"Nanoha-chan!" Fate gasped.

"How dare you hurt him!" Her enraged yellow eyes looked around wildly. "Back off!" She kicked Fate to the side.

"Agh!" She grunted before she flopped to the side.

"And you!" She picked him up with her organic arm. "WHY THE FUCK WERE YOU SO RECKLESS?!" She sent a vibrating shot into his left arm and he was blown back at least 20 feet. "You little…!" Her mind paused as she saw a robotic hand clenching and unclenching at her feet.

"GAAAAAHHH!" The dark-haired boy screamed as he flailed in the dirt. He held his left shoulder as he tried to reach for the sky with that one hand. But the hand no longer was attached, or the rest of his arm. He just raised the sparking wires to the sky, writhing in pain. "HAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

As Subaru rolled up to him, the sight in front of her snapped her back to her senses as her eye color returned to normal. She held her mouth and shuddered like a leaf. "Wh…what have I done? Soran!"


	4. Chapter 4

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 4

Subaru was the only one in the waiting room. It was just as well because of her current condition. Her legs were curled up against her chest as she sobbed in pain. Her berserker rage had taken a hold of her for a second time, and this time, she had done what she feared would happen the most; she hurt the people closest to her.

As she relived the moment again behind her eyelids, she didn't notice someone enter. "That's enough, Subaru." The girl's eyes opened in shock and she lifted her head. A young face with dark blue eyes and long brown hair looked at her past her bandages. "I'd smile, but the novacaine hasn't worn off just yet." Her left cheek and eye was covered by a soft bandage, and she had stitches going through her eyebrow, but even past the wounds she gave no signs of suffering.

"Nanoha… san…." Subaru fell to the floor and began bawling. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I hurt you of all people, the one I look up to the most! That's not something a human would do! What… what am I?! I'm not human!"

Nanoha wrapped her arms around the girl and pressed her good cheek against the bluenette's head. "Anyone that can cry that much over something that is already forgiven is most definitely human." Subaru opened her eyes again. "You're forgiven, Subaru. So don't cry." The older girl's lower lip quivered as a wet spot appeared on her left gauze patch. "Damn novacaine, it's making my eyes water!" She tried to wipe it off to no avail.

"Nanoha-san… your face… is it….?"

"A broken cheekbone, three stitches on my eyebrow, and a half-black eye. I've had exponentially worse that I've come back from. To be honest I hardly even feel it. The burn Soran-kun gave me stings more than this." Her mouth twitched. "Again smiling is failing me. It just doesn't feel normal to not be smiling."

"Why would you want to smile? I… I was the one that…. I ATTACKED you!"

"You were defending him, that's all. I think we can all understand what it means to defend the person you love. You should know that already." Subaru nodded as she sat up. "You remember my desperation with Vivio? I've already felt how you feel, and I would again, for her or for Fate-chan, and yes, even for you." She put a warm hand against her cheek. "Besides, no one is seriously hurt. Fate-chan has a cracked rib, but that's it. Honestly, that girl can be so reckless, going out in Riot Form like that." She rose. "Stand up, Subaru. Stand up and look me in the eye. I won't be so forgiving if you don't!"

The girl rubbed the tears from her eyes and stood, clenching her fist tight, forcing back all the rest of her tears. "Ma'am, yes Ma'am!"

Nanoha closed her good eye happily. "Good girl. Now let's go see Soran."

Subaru stopped in mid-step. "S-Soran…."

"Don't worry. I don't think he's mad either."

Soran sat in his hospital bed, staring at the bandage on his left shoulder. His arm itched like crazy. "How the hell can it itch when it's not even there?" A knock came on the door. "Enter."

Subaru peeked in, gasped, covered her mouth, and closed the door in that exact order in five seconds. "Come on now, Subaru! Get a hold of yourself! Go IN!" The door opened again, as Nanoha pushed the girl forward. She lost her balance and fell onto the bed at the boy's feet. "Morning, Soran-kun. Sorry to barge in like this." Soran balled his fist underneath the blanket.

"Soran… your arm…." Subaru had stood up and reached to touch it, but pulled away. "I can't believe I did that to you. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Forgive you, Su? I should be thanking you." He smiled weakly. The other two girls blinked. "You knocked me back to my senses." He turned to Nanoha. "I was so engrossed in winning that I probably would have done a suicide attack to defeat you if it wasn't for Subaru. I'm sorry things got out of hand."

"Unh. Me too." Nanoha was slightly engrossed in the mysterious scar on his chest. "And don't worry about the burn. It will heal."

"Soran… I used my IR and totaled your arm. I'm so sorry. I just used it instinctively."

"So I take it you knew about that part, Subaru?" Nanoha stared at the girl. "That he was a cyborg?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not." He rotated his good shoulder. "My arm was the only thing cybernetic. I lost my real one a long time ago."

"And how'd you manage to get a new one? That kind of technology is hard to come by."

"The day I lost my arm, a man found me and rescued me. It turns out he was the president of a company that specialized in the independent research of Lost Logia. 'In exchange for your new arm, I would like you to become bodyguard to some of my most loyal business partners.' And the rest, they say, is history."

"I see. Well, our mechanics will do what they can to fix it, but I don't think we can do much. I hope you have a couple of favors you can call in from those sources of yours. Mmh?" She pressed her hand against her ear. "Sorry, I'm needed elsewhere. I'll leave you two alone. Now don't do anything I wouldn't while I'm gone!" She waved as she went to the door and closed it.

The room was silent for a moment. "So…." Soran finally spoke.

Subaru looked down at his sheets. "Soran, I hate to ask this, but can I crash at your place for a while? It's just until I get back on my feet, then I'll be out of your hair."

Soran blinked. "Well, I don't mind, but I'm not quite sure what brought that on."

"I… I disgraced Section 6 and hurt two senior members. There's no doubt I'll be punished, and probably discharged. So when I see Hayate-daichou next, I'll be tendering my resignation."

"WHAT?!" Soran stood. "No way! No way in hell! You can just rethink that right there!"

"But… Soran!"

"But nothing! What do you think you're doing right now? Sparing people by leaving? Think again! Look around you. How many people hate you right now? Well aside from the occasional quip from Teana, no one! What you did was wrong, yes. Will you have to be punished for it? Yes. But no one, and I mean no one that has taken the easy way out has made a good life for themselves!"

"Soran…"

"Look at me, Su. I'm living proof. I've done jail time for a few mistakes I've made. I didn't take the easy way out. I took my punishment, and I'm better for it. And look how strong I am! Subaru, you've told me so many times that you want to go and save people, to protect those that can't do so themselves. How can you do that if you leave now?"

"But you don't understand!"

"No, YOU don't understand! If you want to fulfill your dreams, then you have to stay right here, right now, and think about just what is really important to you!"

"But you're the one that's really important to me!"

"Then maybe I should leave and let you mull it over for a bit." Soran went to the door and slammed it shut.

"And? What was it that you had to pull me away from them? He had just put out some rather interesting information." Nanoha crossed her arms as Vita, Signum, and Hayate gathered around Fate's bed.

"We've been going over the records of the battle, and we've come up with an approximate level for him." Signum crossed her arms.

"That little bastard is pretty powerful." Vita paced, looking at the video once in a while.

"Almost to scary proportions, at that." Fate sighed.

"Nanoha-chan, we've ranked him as a Triple S." Hayate bit her lip. Nanoha gasped hard. "We thought you might react that way. All indications point to it though. He's a mage at your level from that age."

Nanoha had to sit down, and Fate drew her close. "A mage that's at the same level as I was at 15? But he's untrained, right?"

"Correct." Signum pulled up his profile. "As far as we've seen he's had no official training. He's an unrefined jewel."

"Then… if he were ever trained properly…" Nanoha just stared at the monitor.

Fate placed her hand in the other girl's. "Hex S. Dark Type."

Nanoha's eyes became gigantic. "H-Hex S?"

"Ah." Hayate keyed her terminal. "We've kept your true power level hidden from the files as S+ like the rest of us, but the fact that there is another mage that has the potential to reach your true level disturbs us. Especially the fact that he's a Dark Type." A male shadow stopped in front of the door.

"He's already used some of the dark methods, like the elemental attacks and the practically-unuseable Trinity Buster. He might become as powerful a black mage as you are white."

"I'm just glad I didn't have to use Burst Mode on him. He almost pushed me that far." Nanoha pressed her hand against her chest.

"Yeah. We don't want that trump card revealed to anyone. Especially knowing the toll it takes on your body."

Soran turned away from the door and crushed his soda bottle. 'She wasn't at full power! Why are my devices so useless?!' He gritted his teeth as he walked.

"The question is now, what do we do with him?" Nanoha looked at the others in turn.

Hayate spoke. "It goes without saying that we have to report such a powerful mage to the government. Inevitably it's not up to us to decide, but we should brainstorm some possible options."

"I say we train him. If we do that, then we don't have to worry about him being a loose cannon." Nanoha said quickly.

"But would he submit to that? If he is already this powerful without training, why would he join us? Plus didn't Subaru mention he had some prejudices about the military?" Fate asked.

"Everyone, I'm sorry, but I suggest we kill him."

"VITA-CHAN!"

"I said I was sorry! Look, if we leave him unchecked, he could be very dangerous in the future. And we're not the only people around that can train a strong mage. Plus I don't think he has such a kind nature as Nanoha. Better take care of the problem now before it gets too dangerous."

Nanoha bit her lip hard. "There's one problem with that plan, Vita-chan." Hayate answered quickly before she could. "The only one strong enough to do that job would be Nanoha. And we already know what her answer would be."

"Never!" She whispered.

"I say we lock him down. With no chance to train and extra high AMFs, he wouldn't be able to become stronger." Signum's answer was cold.

"You guys, you're forgetting something with all of this." Fate spoke in her thoughtfully muted tone. "Whatever we decide with him will also affect one of our own. Subaru's feelings should also be taken into account. I think we should consider Nanoha's option of bringing him into TSAB."

"But what about those prejudices that you spoke of, Fate-chan?" Hayate brought up the wrinkle. "We don't even know what they are."

"Let me do some digging then." The blonde spoke up. "I'll get the investigative unit together to hunt for an answer. If we can alleviate his anguish, he may concede into joining us."

"Everyone, your thoughts?" Hayate played with her hair band.

"I still think we will have to axe him in the end, but for Subaru's sake, I'm with you." Vita nodded.

"We'll need to keep tabs on the boy until then. It will be a drain on resources, but I suppose it's worth the effort." Signum sighed. "I'll get to work on the preparations."

"Oi, Signum, I'll help too." Vita rushed to catch up with her.

"Hayate-chan, please! That boy needs to have a chance! I won't kill him, and I won't lock him away! Please, make this happen!" Nanoha begged.

"I'll spin it that way with the higher ups." Hayate smiled, but it became serious again. "But I don't know how much time they'll give us. Fate-chan, whatever you do, work fast."

She nodded. "If you want speed, then we'll probably have to call Ginga in on it. Although that may be a little difficult with her new job at the cyborg rehab facility."

"Do whatever you need to. I need to get working on the report. I'll let you know what HQ decides the moment I get it." Hayate excused herself.

"Soran-kun…." Nanoha whispered to herself.

"You seem to be rather protective of him, Nanoha-chan." Fate smiled softly. "Is there a reason for that?"

"Eh?" It was a question that took her off guard. "I just… well I saw his injuries. The cut in his chest was horrible. I was surprised that he could survive something like that. And his arm…. If our military caused those wounds on his body and psyche, then we're indirectly at fault. We have an obligation to take care of him, at least that's what I think."

"Plus you had your share of people you couldn't save." She pulled her lover into a tight hug. "Don't overdo it Nanoha-chan. You can't go back and rescue them. There's no way to save everyone in the universe."

"Unh. I know. But saving just one is enough."

Soran trudged through the halls until he hit the waiting room. He hit a button for the terminal and a window popped up with a news conference. "Sub-commander Zwei, what is Section 6's reaction to the recent verdict to the Jail Scallietti case?"

"There's nothing really to say desu." Rein spoke into a microphone twice her size. "We had been on his tail for a long time, so it goes without saying we believed he was guilty desu."

"Will you or anyone from Section 6 be there for his sentencing?"

"Though I cannot speak for the individual members, none will be there representing Section 6 desu. We have done our duty, and brought him to justice desu. It's up to the judicial system to decide his fate desu."

"How do you feel about the human rights violations he had committed?"

"I cannot make comments about such matters until after the trial is over desu."

"About the incident at Section 6 HQ yesterday, how are the victims faring?"

"All are doing extremely well desu. The doctors expect all to make full recoveries desu!"

"What about the punishment for the actions…."

The screen canceled. "Hey, I was watching that!" Soran growled as he turned towards the hand that did it. "Oh…."

"Why are you over here?" Teana placed her hands on her hips. "Shouldn't you be in your hospital bed? And where the hell is Subaru?"

"Okay, since you were so kind as to not give me time to answer all three, I'll do the same to you. Hi, guys." He said to Erio and Caro as they entered as well. "One, I was thirsty for some sugar so I went in search of a soda. Two, I'm missing an arm, not half my blood. My only complication is that it itches like you wouldn't believe!"

"How can it itch when it's not even there?" Erio asked.

"That's what I want to know! As for Subaru, she's thinking things over in my room." He opened a link to Tea after narrowing his eyes. 'Did you know about her plans? That she's trying to resign?' Teana paled in amazement. 'All I needed to know.'

"That idiot!" Tea gritted her teeth and slammed her fist into the wall.

"Relax. I gave her a stern talking to already." Soran waved it off. "I told her to sit there and think about it for a while and…." Tea walked past him in a huff. "And as usual you're not listening to a word I'm saying."

"Subaru!" She burst into the recovery room only to find her sitting on the bed, watching the news.

"Ah! Tea! Good timing! I was hoping that…." CRACK!

Teana panted hard, hissing from the pain. "Don't you dare do it, Subaru! After all the trials and toils we've been through, don't you dare throw it away!"

"I tried telling her Su!" Soran called from the doorframe. "As usual she wouldn't listen." Teana whirled around and sent a glare his way that would have killed him ten times over. "Okay, backing out of the room."

She whirled back and turned on her mental link. 'If you betray me like that Subaru, I swear…!'

'Tea, stop. Stop! I'm not resigning! Soran already pointed it out, I just needed to clear my head.'

'You don't get it at all, Subaru. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you! I don't hold any illusions otherwise. I would never have become stronger, or even team leader if it wasn't for you always taunting me, and pushing me, and teasing me, and hugging me, and… damn it, Subaru! How could you even think about throwing that away?! Everything we've done?!'

"Tea…." Subaru spoke aloud, unable to hold her concentration on the telepathic link. "Gomen ne, Tea. I won't do it again, I swear. I never wanted to throw away all our memories. Soran kinda beat it into my head that all I'd be doing was hurting everyone, and this proves it. He was right. I'm sorry Tea."

"Kgh!" Teana's rage was still boiling. She raised her hand again for another strike. Subaru closed her eyes and waited for it.

"Okay, that's enough." Soran spoke. Subaru opened her eyes to find the boy grasping Tea's wrist tightly. "You've done enough damage as is."

"Let go of me, you perv!" Tea struggled against him.

"Teana, you've already broken a finger, haven't you?" He stared into her eyes. "This one right here." He poked her ring finger and she yelped. "Get that taken care of instead of standing around here."

He dropped her arm and took a half step between her and Subaru. Teana gritted her teeth as her brow quivered. "You do know I dislike you, right?"

"We love you too, Lanster-sama." Soran smirked.

"Kgh! If I hang around here anymore, I'll probably be tempted to use Cross Mirage. I'm outta here!" Tea walked off, heading for the nurse's station. Caro and Erio looked to each other, then back to Soran and Subaru, and then at Teana. They both bowed before heading to keep an eye on the orange-haired girl.

Shari walked past them and blinked in confusion as she rounded the corner. "What was that all about?" She asked as she entered the boy's room.

"Oh Tea-san was just confessing her undying love for me." He leaned back in bed.

"Hmm? Then why did she look so mad?"

"Classic tsundere character."

"Ooooooh. Gotcha!" Shari gave him a thumbs up and a wink.

"Geez, Soran!" Subaru clonked him on the head. "Stop being mean to Tea, and spreading ridiculous stuff like that to Shari-san! By the way, Shari-san, why are you here?"

"Oh, right!" She placed a shoebox down on the bed and opened it. "It's not as good as the original, but we managed to salvage some of the parts to reform the arm." She lifted a pale-pink limb out. "At least it will look like the original. It should suit you until you can get it fixed properly."

"Hmm…" Soran examined it in his lap. He tapped it three times on the middle knuckle, and the hand closed. "What's the reaction time on it?"

"About 34ns. That's all we could get out of it."

"The grip seems a little weak, but I won't be using it that much anyway. Thank you for everything you've done."

"Soran, hold on!" Subaru ran up to him in front of the taxi and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "They demoted me and put me on probation, but I'm not fired."

"Good for you, Su." He patted her with his left hand. "Hmm… numb. I'll have to fix that too."

"Be careful, okay?" Subaru sighed as he climbed into the back of the cab.

"Don't worry about me, Su. Now get back so you can get promoted again." He waved to the senior members standing outside waiting for her. "Okay, we can go." The driver started down the parking lot.

The rest waved after him. "You managed to get the tracking devices in properly?" Signum spoke to Shari without turning.

"Of course. I put three in. The only way we'll lose him is if he gets a completely new arm."

Soran got out of the taxi and shut the door behind him. As it drove off, he looked up at the skyscraper in front of him. He sighed as he went through the door, stonefaced. He walked through the security gate, which beeped in alarm. "_Code Yellow. Code Yellow._"

"I'm sorry, sir, but you're going to have to leave your devices at the sign-in closet." A security officer walked up to him.

"You're new here, aren't you?" Soran looked through him.

"Y-yes, sir."

"Let me tell you something to remember. The only way I'm leaving my devices behind is if they're taken up your ass!" Soran snarled. "Hey Mitch!" He yelled in his face.

"Yes? Oh, Soran-sama!" Another security guard rounded the corner.

"You responsible for hiring this bozo?" The other man scratched his head. "Whatever. Hey, educate him, would you?! If this keeps up, I'm not gonna want to come around here no more, comprende?"

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir!"

"Good!" He glared at the first guard. "What are you still doing in my way? Disable the security field!"

"S-Sir!"

Soran slumped and sighed as he walked through again. "Man, that's all I needed to completely ruin my day." He rolled his shoulder as he entered the elevator. "PMB. Express override."

"_Javohl._" The elevator shot up, and within seconds he was at the top floor. "_PMB._"

He stepped out, and a young woman of all of about 20 stood up at the desk. "Soran-kun, welcome! Did you finally dump that annoying TSAB girl?"

"Just give it up already and open it. Knowing him, he's already expecting me." He didn't even give her a look as he walked forward.

"No fair. I have so much to offer too." She pouted as she hit the release button.

Soran entered a lavish office with wide windows and a high ceiling, filled with artwork and gilded statues. Once the doors shut behind him, he spoke up. "You really need to fire that gold-digging receptionist out there, you know."

A slightly heavy set man with a salt and pepper beard turned his chair around at the desk. His small, pure black eyes gazed at Soran quietly, as if pondering his next statement. "It's all for show anyway. I need something for my visitors to look at while they wait. What happened out there, today, Soran?"

The teen hopped onto the couch and reclined, not caring where he put his feet. "You already know what happened. I'm sure your spies have already given you the whole scoop."

"Tell me anyway."

A toothy smirk appeared. "I found her, the one from five years ago. " The authoritative man in the business suit put his hands on the table. "I finally found her, Father!"


	5. Chapter 5

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 5

Soran cringed as robotic arms welded and drilled into his arm, replacing damaged parts and tweaking the settings. He was used to it by now, but it still hurt like hell. As he sweated it out, a recent memory surfaced in him. _"Soran, I've told you this many times already, but forget about five years ago. Although I know you probably won't, I feel the need to say it as your guardian."_

"_I understand what you're saying, but I can't just do that. You of all people should know that."_

_The burly man sighed. "Well, I suppose I can understand it sort of. That kind of hatred runs deep. But don't let it control you, Soran. You should know the consequences of that by looking at that arm of yours." Soran clenched his left fist as tight as he could, which wasn't too much. "Get the boys in the basement to fix you up. I'm going to need you tomorrow."_

"_I understand. What's going on tomorrow, if I may ask?" Soran stood and stretched._

"_Scaglietti's sentencing." _

_Soran stopped in his tracks. "We have no business being there. Just let that old man rot."_

"_You always did have very little respect. Soran, we must go, especially you."_

_Soran gripped his left shoulder tight. "I don't care about that bastard! The heinous acts he's done has outweighed the favor tenfold! I hold no affection for that fucker, and neither should you!"_

_The man stood and slammed his hands on the desk. "Watch your tongue or I'll have it removed!"_

"_Sorry sir." Soran looked away._

"_I realize you have that little girlfriend of yours who's directly involved in the incident, but I'm ordering you to put your personal feelings aside. You WILL be accompanying me, whether you like it or not!"_

"Kuso!" The black-haired boy snarled.

Fate was alone in the situation room, typing rapidly on her terminal. Rein floated up to her. "Need some company desu?"

"Company, no. However if you would like to help, I could always use another set of hands."

"Hai desu!" She sat on top of the wall and pulled up her own lap terminal. "I have the tracer records from Berkt-kun, Fate-chan. Should I bring them up desu?"

"Ah." Fate's screen filled with road maps and location coordinates. "Hold on!" She rewound the time until the skyscraper was on her screen. "Rein, why would he go here? That's not an apartment complex. What building is that?"

"That's the Mustang Magitechnology corporate HQ."

"Mustang… Huh? Rein, the signal blips out right when he reaches around the 50th floor. Is there something wrong?"

"Probably not. Most of the bigwig companies have dampening fields cast around their corporate heads desu. He must've entered the field right there."

"Mustang…." Fate pulled up the file on the company. "Mustang Magitechnology, specializing in the use of current and past technologies for future development in the industrial and agricultural sectors. Their current head is the man who established the company, Mustang Belt. Belt… Berkt! Soran is using a different spelling, but the similarities are too close. Mustang Belt must be Soran's father!"

"It would make sense, desu. Why else would he be allowed to go into the president's room without a wait?"

"It looks like Mustang has a subcontract with TSAB, a research project of some kind, but I can't tell what it is. My clearance isn't high enough."

"It must be a really high level if Fate-chan can't access it desu."

"I'll see if I can work my way around it later. It looks like after that he left and went back to his apartment. Well we've got his address now. Of course we could have just asked Subaru for it."

"That's true desu. Oh, Scaglietti's sentencing is going to start soon, so do you mind if I turn it on?"

"Go ahead. Although I have no more interest in him." Fate sighed. "At last Project F can rest in peace."

"Fate-chan and Erio-kun are the only ones left, right? Fate-chan, you should adopt Erio officially."

She got a dreamy look in her eyes for a second, but then shook her head, her long hair taking a while to catch up. "I can't do that. Nanoha-chan and I have enough to worry about with Vivio. Besides, Erio is more like a little brother than anything, just like Caro."

"I suppose you're right desu. Eh? Wh-what the hell is this?!"

"Rein?" The little woman's viewscreen expanded in front of Fate's eyes. "Ah!" In the news camera's scope was Jail Scaglietti whispering with none other than Soran. "What is he doing there?!"

As the courtroom began to fill up, Scaglietti squinted happily as he saw Mustang and his guard that kept averting his gaze. President Belt signaled to Soran and walked up to the first bench. "It was so good of you to come, old friend." Jail whispered to the pudgy man. "I was beginning to think no one cared."

"It's the least and best we could do, after everything. No hard feelings."

"None taken. My fate isn't to be shared by anyone. It wouldn't be fair to you if I asked you to get involved. Soran-kun, are you faring well?" The boy shot him a glare and turned away. "If looks could kill."

"Soran, don't make me make it an order." Mustang jabbed him in the stomach.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Ungrateful as always. Is that rage because of that Type Zero you've got on your arm?"

Soran fought with his rage, closing his eyes as he clenched his fist. When he calmed he turned to face him directly. "She has a name. Besides, what you've done is more than enough reason for me to kill you."

"Soran!" Mustang hissed.

"Would you be so kind as to do me that favor? With that, my twelve clones could continue the research we started so very long ago."

"You're a crazy bastard, you know that?" Soran scoffed. "Even your math is off. That eighth cyborg is male."

"But is it, boy? Is it? I wonder." The bailiff entered. "Well, no matter. I'd say it's time for my performance. Again, thank you for coming."

"Why?" Nanoha stood next to Fate's screen in shock after being called. "Why is Soran-kun related to Scaglietti?! This puts things in a completely different perspective!"

"It's not Soran per-se, Nanoha-chan." Fate continued typing. "I thought I had recognized the company name from somewhere. Mustang Magitechnology was founded by Mustang Belt. Belt was once an intern of Scaglietti. He even loaned Belt money to get his business started. The records show that this had been paid off long before Scaglietti went into hiding. Maybe they're there out of respect?"

"That explains Mustang, but why Soran-kun?!"

"Nanoha-chan, easy! Remember, it's most likely that Soran-kun is Belt's adoptive son. It makes sense they would have some sort of interaction in the past."

"Besides, it didn't look like Soran-kun was too happy there desu." Rein kept watching the live broadcast. "The judge is finally about to speak."

"Would the defendant please rise?" The purple-haired convict stood with his ever-present smirk on his face. "Jail Scaglietti, on the charge of illegal human experimentation, I sentence you to life on an interdimensional penal colony. On the charge of eleven counts of human rights violations, I sentence you to five life sentences on an interdimensional penal colony. On the charge of inciting 

rebellion and endangering the lives of this planet, I sentence you to death." The court murmured in surprise. "However, due to the fact that your death would inevitably cause great harm to your twelve victims, most of whom have repented and are undergoing re-education, the court will change your sentence to life on an interdimensional penal colony, separate from those of your victims who have also been found guilty. You will serve out your seven life sentences effective upon immediate arrival to NEO ALCATRAZ. There will be no parole. The court so orders." The judge slammed her hand down and a gavel sound rang out.

"Serves you right, you prick." Soran muttered to himself as he crossed his legs.

"Jail Scaglietti, you may address the court one final time."

The man bowed. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the court, though your ruling stands, I still stand by my opinions and ideals! This world has been far too twisted by the corrupt government of the times. This world order does not have enough life in it for us to advance and evolve as a race! Only with a clean slate can we truly find the newer paths that will save us from ourselves! That is why I did what I did, to save you all! I am not a criminal or a rapist, I am your savior! And I cannot leave the stage until you are all delivered into the new era!" He gripped his table tightly and wrenched his arm up, until there was a sickening snap. "I will save you all!" He raised his arm, blood dripping out of the compound fracture.

"Ksgh!" Soran jumped out of his seat and slammed Scaglietti to the wall. "What do you have there, huh?" He examined the wound carefully. Inside the bone, a red light was blinking. "What did you do?! Everyone evacuate! He's activated something!"

"Oh, I'm afraid that's quite impossible, boy." Someone outside screamed in fear. "You see, by now, the entire building is surrounded by my toys, and there are more on the way. Prepare for your deliverance, Soran-kun!"

"Kgh! Like hell!" He completed a hard hit to Jail's face, sending him into the land of the unconscious. He tossed him to the nearest bailiff. "Everyone get deeper inside! Stay away from the doors and windows, and don't let anything get through to him!" Soran burst from the room, running straight for the front door. "Barrage Zwei!" He reached into his pocket and found a key with an orb in it.

"_Okay boss._"

"SET UP!" His formal attire dissolved in mid leap. His long red mage pants consolidated first, followed by his boots, two keys appearing on the ankles. His dark red sleeveless shirt was next, swooping down over his hips. A navy barrier jacket placed itself on him next, its defenses sweeping down to his knees. Two thin finger-cut leather gloves materialized on his hands, and on the left hand, a keychain appeared with another key with an orb on it. His device expanded into a metallic blue staff in shooting mode, and he gripped it between his index and middle fingers.

As his foot touched the lobby ground again, the wall exploded. "_Active Guard._" A deflection screen appeared in front of him, and all the shrapnel bounced off.

"Kgh!" Soran looked out into the mass of gray metal. The outside was swarming with Type 1 and Type 3 Gadgets. The type ones started to fly in. "I won't let you!"

"_Variable Bullet._" Soran's device spoke as he fired in rapid succession at the advancing units, piercing them.

"Damn it! I just knew he wouldn't go quietly! Round Shield Triple!" He blocked the entry with three magic circles. It wasn't wide enough to block all of them though, and more Type 1's rushed around the shield. "Turret mode."

"_Okay boss. Twin staff mode."_ On the opposite end appeared a second shooting head. Soran's eyes were enveloped in a clear blue visor with a HUD display.

"Nerai wa utz!" He began whirling his staff around and firing in different directions, depending on which enemy was closest to advancing, guided by his targeting computer to shoot in front and behind when the crosshairs lined up. After continuing to blow away the small fry, a big one crashed through his barrier. "Keh! A Type 3!" Its thick mechanical arms whipped towards him. "Kiryu! Garyu!"

"_Javol!"_ The keys on his ankles answered. Soran's visor went up and Barrage went back to a keychain on his right hand. The two others jumped into his hands and extended into energy shotels.

Soran raised them over his head and blocked the hit. With a grunt he cut the heavy arm off. Ducking under a sweeping hit from the side, he sliced that one off too. Rolling to the left he whirled a slice into an advancing Type 1. Leaping into the air, he stabbed a second one. Ricocheting off of the doomed Gadget, he dropkicked a third, tearing into it. Another formation of three came in from the other side, but the Type 3 was still inbetween him and them. "Garyu!"

"_Flashform!"_ The right shotel stretched out and bent in half at a 90 degree angle. He hurled it at the formation, the intelligent device cutting into all of them before returning.

Kiryu also went into Flash form and attached to his forearm. Garyu returned to the same position on the opposite arm. "I've got to take down that Type 3 before it destroys the whole building! Barrage Zwei! Rainbow Zwei!"

"_Okay boss."_ Both of his wrist keys turned into the staff forms that he fought Nanoha with.

After dodging another swoop from the Type 3 he landed and a triangular mage inscription appeared below his feet. "May this world be encased in eternal ice!"

"_Glacier._" In the first tip a blue ball of energy appeared.

Soran flipped Barrage towards the enemy as the energy ball slowly rotated around. It cocked a cartridge. "Glacial…"

The ball of energy came within the scope. "_Target locked._"

"BUSTER!" The ice ball burst forward and consumed the type three. Soran dove forward. "Kiryu! Garyu!"

"_Axtform."_ The two weapons combined together and extended a handle, turning into a large double-sided axe.

"DIE!" Soran ducked low and swept his axe upward in a spiral, digging deep into the Type 3. Its remains fell to the ground. "Gotch- KAGH!" Another thick metallic rope threw him to the side. Another type three was directly behind the last. "Tch!" He hissed as he hurled Garyu's Flash form into another blitz of Type 1s. He jumped and deflected off of a wall as a beam shot came from the Type 3. "I'm losing ground. It's too wide an area to defend. Damn you Jail!"

"_Luftmesser."_ A device's voice spoke as a blade of wind sliced through five Gadgets and made a hole. From that hole came a turbocharged red motorcycle with two redheads riding it. The boy on the back stood on the seat as his blue and white spear cocked a cartridge. "_Explosion._"

The boy leapt into the air and balled his fist as his device shot forward at the Type 3. "Shiden Issen!" He plowed his fist into the giant Gadget and it crackled in electricity before exploding.

"Soran!" The driver screeched to a halt next to the boy, jumping off and arming herself, pressing back to back with him. "Sorry we're late. Traffic was murder."

"Teana! Erio?" The young boy landed in front of him.

She established a link with him. 'We don't have time to talk. I'll take the Type 1s on the right, you take the left.'

'Understood.' He prepped Barrage again, his visor flipping down. As he fired, he quickly glanced to Teana. 'The others?'

"_Load Bullet F._" Cross Mirage loaded a clip and fired.

"Blast Rain!" A girl's voice came from outside, and bright balls of red light flashed from outside, followed by explosions.

"Revolver Cannon!" Subaru's voice came from outside, followed by a big explosion.

'Subaru is handling the Type 3's on the ground. Caro and Fried are taking an aerial offensive to the type 1s. We three are on the defense squad. The commanders are diverting the type 2s before they make it here.' Tea fired two more rounds. '10 o'clock high!'

'I see it.' He fired at a Type 1 taking an aerial approach. 'But who thought the bastard had this many left?'

'Let's think about that some other time. Signum, Vita, and Zaphila are covering the other sides. However they seem to be amassing over here because it's a wider street.'

"_Stahlmesser."_ Strada called out as a blade of energy emerged from the tip.

"Geeaaaahhh!" Erio dove forward and plunged it into the approaching type 3's eyeballs, ripping it out again and retreating.

Another voice entered their brains. 'Guys, we've got a problem!' It was Subaru. 'A squad of type 3's is rolling this way. I'm counting about 20. Caro and I can't handle them all on our own.'

'I'm on the way, Subaru!' Vita yelled. 'Just hang on until I can clear these guys out! Crap, here come some more!'

Soran looked Tea in the eye for a second as he shot a type 1 blindly. She nodded. 'No, stay where you are, subcommander.'

'What the? Why are you on the line, brat?'

'Soran-kun?'

'Caro, fall back to the roof and give me some cover. Su, I'm coming out. I've got an idea. I'll rendezvous in the sky.'

'Tea-san….' Caro was hesitant, as Erio looked over his shoulder to see what she'd do.

'Trust me, Tea. It will work.'

'Argh! Caro, Subaru, do what he says! Soran, if you make a fool of me….'

'You'll shoot my balls off, I get it.' He waved Erio over and gripped Strada with his left hand.

Erio smiled and nodded. "Strada!"

"_Explosion!"_ It cocked a shot and both boys dove forward at the next Type 3.

'Now Caro!'

"Blast Rain!" Fried's fireballs hailed on the steps as Strada stabbed the Gadget.

Soran let go and leapt free into open air. A magical scrawl paralleled him. "Soran!" Subaru rolled up next to him.

"Okay Su, follow my lead!" He dove for the mass of rolling weapons. "Wow, that is a lot. You up to it, Rainbow Zwei?"

"_Don't mind._"

Soran slowed to a stop before the enemies and created a rotating triangle under his feet. "Consume this world in eternal flames! Encase this world in eternal ice! Rend this world with eternal plasma!"

"_Inferno. Glacier. Lightning."_

The balls of elemental energy rotated around him. "I get it!" Subaru smiled as her road went in a loop around him. Her magic circle appeared as she rotated her arms, and an energy ball appeared inside it. "Divine…" Her energy ball lined up in target with the Inferno. "BUSTER!" She slammed her metal-encased fist into both, the power firing it like a cannon into the Type 3s below. "Divine… BUSTER! Divine… BUSTER!" The other two energy attacks were also sent down upon them.

Both of them were panting after the round of attacks. Neither of them were used to expending so much energy in such a short amount of time. "We… can't keep this up… Su."

"I know. I'm running low. And there's still way too many." She panted as she stared at the hordes below them.

"But if we give up, then Scaglietti will…" Soran snarled as he looked back. Fried was exhausted too, and he could imagine how the others were feeling as well. 'Everyone fall back. I'm using Trinity.'

Subaru's eyes went wide. "Soran, no! That's more than you can handle!"

"I'm not going to let you be targeted by that freak again! Now fall back!"

"Soran-kun, I can't let you!" She grabbed his arm. "We'll think of something else! Don't do this!"

"Su…" He took her chin in his fingers and lifted it up, giving her a deep kiss. His left fist balled and slammed her in the stomach.

"Soran… kun…." She gasped before she passed out.

"I'm sorry. Mach Caliber, get her out of here."

Her rollerboots blinked. "_Understood. Do not die, Soran._" The self-perpetuating Wing Road went back to the roof, and the device took her there.

"Heh. A tall order, but I'll see what I can do!" He spread his arms out and the triangular scrawl spread out once more. Rainbow Zwei began to levitate in the center as Soran closed his eyes, making hand signals with his left arm. "Rend this world with eternal plasma!"

"_Lightning._" At the first point, a large ball of yellow energy appeared.

"Consume this world with eternal flames!"

"_Inferno." _The second point contained a red/orange ball.

"Encase this world with eternal cold!"

"_Glacier._" The third appeared, ice blue in color.

"Elements of destruction!" He raised his shooting device into the air.

"_Trinity Buster._" All three rose up to the lance and in an earth-shaking reaction combined into one swirling mass of energy.

"KGH!" Soran grabbed the device with both arms as it shook violently. "I used up too much. I can't control it…."

"_Starlight Breaker EX."_

"Ah!" Soran's eyes went wide as he turned his head left, seeing Nanoha and Raging Heart in Excellion form.

"Arigato, Soran-kun! With all the magic in the air from your attacks, I can attack at full power!"

"You!" Soran grunted as his staff twitched.

"Don't lose your concentration! I'm going to take some of your energy, just enough so you can stabilize it!" The size of the multicolored swirling ball diminished slowly, and its violent pulsating slowed. "You ready, Soran-kun? Let's wipe them out with one big shot!"

Soran gritted his teeth and pointed his weapon at the army of metal below him. "May these enemies…."

"Starlight…!"

"BE CLEANSED!"

"BREAKER!" The two masses of energy hurled forth, swirling around each other as they drilled through the legions of enemies, tossing them into the air and disintegrating them, digging a swath through the city that would take months to repair. Soran gasped heavily as both his devices returned to key form. He slumped, the flight wings on his shoes shrinking as he lost altitude. "Whoopsy." Nanoha grabbed him by the waist and put his good arm on her shoulder. They both floated down to the base of the stairs. "Well, we did it, Soran-kun."

"Get your hands off of me." He pushed her away. "I never asked to be saved, especially by you."

"Soran…"

"I'm not weak." He wheezed as he stumbled up the stairs. "I'm not. I can handle myself. I don't need rescue. I don't need… don't need…." He pitched forward, his eyes glassing over before he hit the cement.


	6. Chapter 6

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 6

"_Hegh!" The boy's arms quaked as he tried desperately to hold onto the lance, the ball of flaming energy leaking out into small flamethrowers over the water._

"_Concentrate! Envision a perfect sphere! It's not a net that's holding it there, it's a capsule!" The man behind him yelled while trying to avoid the flames._

"_RGH! Inferno…" The child slowly lowered it to water level. "BUST…." The energy detonated prematurely, vaporizing the planks in front of him along with turning the surrounding water to steam. "Bwaaahh!" He was blown back._

"_Soran!" The man leapt up with his winged ankles and caught the boy in midair. "Gotcha!"_

_When they were on terra-firma, the boy looked at the ground. "I failed again."_

"_You didn't fail. You just found another way not to use Inferno Buster."_

"_Dad… am I weak?" He looked into the man's eyes._

"_Do you believe you're weak?" He questioned in return, and Soran nodded. "Then yes, you are. You can only be as strong as you think you are. We'll try again tomorrow. Come on, Mom's waiting." He took the boy's left hand and went off down the road._

Soran returned to consciousness, seeing a familiar plain white ceiling and the soreness of a raw back. 'Yep, I'm in a hospital. I'm beginning to see a pattern here.'

'At least you aren't missing a limb this time.' A mental whisper giggled in answer.

Soran shot up in surprise only to see a smiling girl. "Su…."

"Morning, or should I say evening?"

"Evening?" He looked out the window to find it dark. "So I guess I've been out for what… four hours?"

"Yeah, that's about right. Now, don't you think you owe me something?" She crossed her arms and nodded.

"Something… oh! You mean the gut shot!" He replayed the event in his mind. He lifted up his shirt. "Okay, let me have it."

Subaru just blinked. "Um…."

"Come on, hit me! We're in a hospital anyway, so it won't matter if I'm KO'd for a few more minutes."

Subaru hung her head and slumped before beginning to laugh. "You goof, I just wanted an apology! Why'd you have to go and do that? Now I can't stay mad at you."

"Well while we're on that subject, your skin felt very smooth and toned when I hit it. I liked it." He whispered the last part to her.

She blushed until it spread to the tip of her nose. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" She punched him playfully in her embarrassment.

In the commotion a group of people came in. "Oh? Looks like we've got the wrong room. We accidentally happened on the honeymoon suite." Vita smirked as the Tea and the rest of the team stood behind her. She was also chuckling, while Erio and Caro blushed, swapping looks at each other.

"Vita-budaicho!" Subaru quickly stood and saluted.

"At ease." She saluted back. "You know you guys are the talk of the town right now? It's all over the news." A viewscreen appeared, showing Soran and Subaru's combo attack from a building far away.

"So… what happened to Scaglietti?" Soran paused as he read the headlines.

"The judge increased his sentence to ten life sentences and shipped him out right away. The three commanders and even Chrono Harlown are transporting him to his cell in interstitial space between dimensions."

"So all the commanders are gone? Nanoha-san and the others?" Subaru was surprised.

"Yeah. Just in case any more of Scaglietti's surprises go off."

"Guess I won't be able to thank her again." Soran sighed.

"I wouldn't say that, kid." Vita tossed him a small blue crystal key. "She recorded that before she left and instructed me to give it to you. Oi, Subaru, let's clear out. It's for him alone."

"Um… Hai." Subaru paused, before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Call us if you need us."

"Uh? … Ah…." He was barely responsive as he stared at the key. Once the door closed he called up a viewer. "Commandcom decode reader, priority to Soran Berkt personal biometrics." A floating box appeared and he stuck the key in it and twisted. "Begin message."

On the screen, Nanoha's smiling face greeted him. "Hey, Soran-kun! By the time you read this I'll already be on my way to NEO ALCATRAZ with Scaglietti, so I won't be able to visit you in the hospital. Soran-kun, I want to thank you. If it weren't for your quick thinking, Scaglietti would probably be a free man.

"You withstood constant attack from Gadgets until help arrived, defending hundreds of people, came up with an ingenious plan to wipe out the enemies, and was willing to sacrifice everything for the 

people that were behind you. You aren't weak in the least, Soran-kun. Your determination shows your true valor and power. I just wanted you to know that.

"Soran-kun… I realize this will seem brazen to ask, especially from me, who doesn't understand your situation, but I want you to join Section 6. You are extremely caring and a strong ally, and I and the TSAB don't want to lose that. I realize that you have a lot of hatred towards the military which I still don't know the reasons for, but if you talk to us about it, maybe we can help you through it. So please, give it some thought."

Soran's watch beeped on the nightstand. He turned off the recording and pocketed the key before picking the watch up. "Berkt." He looked into the screen.

"Soran-kuuuuuun!" A bright-eyed bubbly blonde face filled his screen.

The boy sighed, slumping. "Hello, Ms. Gild, what is it this time?"

"Don't avoid me so much, Soran-kuuuuun! Anyway, President Belt wants to see you ASAP, so could you please get down here? On a personal note, do you think you could spare a little time for me too? I could give a big strapping hero like you a taste of what I've got to offer." She giggled in an attempt to be seductive.

"No thanks, I don't eat junk food." He waited for her to finish falling flat on her face. "Tell Father I'll be there in about an hour, if they agree to release me."

"Oooh! I could give you some rele-."

Soran cut off the transmission. "What an idiot."

"I still say that you should fire that slut, Father!" Soran grumbled as he scrubbed her lipstick off of his cheek as he entered. "I'm going to have to take a fucking shower to get all this glitter off. Eugh!" Mustang glared at him. "Right, language. Sorry."

Mustang sighed. "Well, putting all that aside, once again your bodyguarding has come in extremely handy. You not only protected me, but you saved dozens of others, and kept a dangerous man behind bars. There are many people that want to reward you. Random citizens are showering you with praise, the government wants to give you a medal…."

"TSAB wants me to join Section 6…." Soran added another to the list.

"Really? Well that's a great honor. But in any case, it appears to fall to me on giving you a proper reward for your efforts. What is it I can get you, Soran? As long as it's not illegal or having to do with five years ago, I'll try and get it."

The five years comment made Soran purse his lips for a second. He sat down to think. "Father… do you think I should join Section 6?"

"As your guardian, I would say yes. It would help you put the past behind you and rebuild. However, as Mustang Magitech President, I would lose a very valuable bodyguard, who's worth has been proved many, many times over."

"Umh." Soran clenched his fingers together, trying to think things through.

"Soran… I think you've realized it as well, but your training has plateaued. There's only so much you can teach yourself before you can go no further. I suppose the question really is how satisfied are you with yourself right now? Are you content with being as strong as you are?"

Soran's thoughts went back to when the first Rainbow was destroyed, and forcing himself to sacrifice Barrage as well against Nanoha's attack. "There's no way in hell I can say I am."

"Then you know what you have to do, I would think. I probably shouldn't have pushed that whole reward thing on you. Take your time in deciding. The offer will remain open."

Soran walked down the dark street, once in a while being lit by the streetlights as he wandered. Voices kept going off in his head, caused by his memories scrambling to give him an answer to his questions.

"_She wasn't at full power?! Why are my devices so useless?!"_

"_You can only be as strong as you think you are."_

"_Are you content with being as strong as you are?"_

"_This is for my own benefit, to find out if I'm stronger than you!"_

"_There's no way in hell I can say I am."_

"_Dad… am I weak?"_

"_There's only so much you can teach yourself…."_

"_I'm not weak. I'm not."_

"Damn it." He punched a brick wall. Only then did he look up at the building he was next to, and the address which he recognized.

"_If you decide to join us, please do me a favor and go to my residence. Subaru is there taking care of Vivio while Fate and I are out. I think a more personal setting would be better to talk things out when we return. I hope to see you there. Goodbye for now."_

He stood at the front gate for a while, just staring at the house, past it, and into the starry sky. He checked his watch and decided. He dialed a number. "Hello, Father. I've figured it out. I'd like a lab and equipment for making a custom Intelligent Device. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time."

"That's… quite a stretch Soran. In the first place we don't have any scientists that work on IDs."

"Don't worry about that. I'll handle that myself. This is a private project, and I'd like to keep it that way."

"Very well. I'll see what I can do. Good night, Soran."

"Good night, Father." After hanging up he turned to the driveway and began walking up. 'I am not weak. I believe I can be stronger than I am. I'll continue to move forward, surpass the unsurpassable, and then one day….' He pressed the doorbell.

"Who is it?" Subaru's voice came over the intercom.

"It's me Su. It's Soran."

"Ah! Hang on, I'm coming right now!" He heard feet scrambling, and a rather suspicious sound of a THUD. She opened the door. "Welcome Sora-"

She was interrupted as a bowl of noodles flew past her ear and onto his face. "I got you Mr. Meanie!" A young girl's voice called back from the foyer.

"Vivio, you can't do that! That's bad! You were a bad girl just now!" Subaru scolded her.

From his bent backwards position, Soran removed the bowl from his face. Returning to upright position most of the noodles rolled off his eyes and nose. Then in a bout of anger he spat the remaining ones out of his mouth. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?! Who did it? Who threw that bowl?!"

"Ah! Mr. Meanie recovered! Egh!" The little blonde girl took another bowl and hurled it.

Soran sidestepped it and pulled out his shooting staff. Blocking it in midair, he whirled it around. "Back at ya!"

"Hwaah!" Vivio screamed.

"_Protection."_ Mach Caliber spoke as Subaru put her pendant between the girl and the noodles.

"Soran, knock it off! This is Nanoha-san's daughter, Vivio!"

"Deh… hey why am I the one that has to knock it off? She's the one that sent that slop my way!"

"Vivio hates you! You hurt Nanoha-mama! You gave her the ouchie on her leg! Mr. Meanie, go away!" She squealed as she hid behind Subaru's leg.

"Ouchie on her leg?" Soran blinked. "What's that?"

"Ouchie… oh, Soran, she must be talking about the burn you gave her." The bluenette turned and knelt down, resting her hands on the little ones' shoulders. "Vivio, if it's that, Mr. Meanie already said sorry to Nanoha-mama."

"So I'm suddenly Mr. Meanie now?!" Soran balled his fist. "I was just pummeled with soba noodles, and now you're calling me names?!"

"Mr. Meanie apologized a long time ago."

"Hey, listen to me!"

"So no more attacking Mr. Meanie!"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Say you're sorry with a cookie." Subaru put a star-shaped cookie into her hands. "Give it to him, and say you're sorry."

The standoff continued, Soran gritting his teeth and pointing, a stray noodle sliding off his ear. Subaru looked cross at the girl. Vivio looked between the cookie and the man down the hall. "Vivio… is sorry."

"There we go, Vivio." Subaru clapped her hands together. "That's a good gi-."

"KARGH!" Soran hit the ground after being blown back.

Vivio pulled back her outstretched arm. "But Vivio still hates you!" She ran out of the room.

"Vivio! Hey, Vivio! Get back here and apologize properly!" Subaru yelled.

"Don't bother, Su." Soran coughed. "I don't think I'd live through that anyway. " He got up to sitting position, blood trickling down his nose. "More importantly, do I leave this thing in or take it out?" He pointed to the cookie, one of its points embedded into his forehead. "Didn't we agree that you wouldn't bake anymore?"

Soran poked the bandage on his forehead as Subaru put the med kit away. He saw a glint of something shine around the corner. In a split second he caught a flying piece of candy just seconds before it was going to hit him. "Ksh!" A girl's voice came from around the corner.

"Vivio, if you're going to try and kill me, at least face me when you're doing it." He crushed the little piece of chocolate in his grip.

"Ah! My candy!" She peeked around the corner, but then hid again behind the wall. "Mr. Meanie didn't see Vivio!"

"Suuuure I didn't." Soran surveyed the layout, reaching into his right boot and whispering. "Garyu, WAS Mode, target living entity four meters ahead."

"_Javol."_ The device expanded along the floor and squirmed like a snake around the corner.

"You know, Vivio, there's one thing wrong with your technique. The more focused you are on a single target, the more you leave yourself open for…."

A hiss came from around the corner. "GYAAAAAHHH!" The little girl squealed as she dove into the living room behind the couch next to him as the device continued forward, making hissing sounds.

"Ambushes." Soran smirked in satisfaction as he picked up Garyu and returned it to his boot. He looked over the sofa. "Are you finished trying to attack me ye… auda?" She wasn't there.

"Egh!" She planted a hard kick to his butt that sent him toppling over the sofa before running off.

"Okay, I'm back. Sorry to keep you waiting Sora-. What are you doing?!"

"Subaru." His voice somehow came from the other side of the room. "Could you get the medkit again? My face landed on the air vent."

"Why is it always me?" Soran sighed as he rubbed off the last dust slat on his face.

Subaru finished putting the last bit of bandage onto his ear that got cut from the vent latch. "Dunno. But you do seem to be getting beat up a lot."

"Feel like doing my butt next?" He smiled sweetly.

"No way." She latched the kit shut. "I'd have to be married to you first before I even come close to that area. And even then you'll be waiting a while."

"Darn! I knew I should have brought the ring and minister with me!"

"I… I'll be right back!" Subaru got up quickly, the skin on the back of her neck red, as she walked robotically into the kitchen to put the medkit away.

"Well, I'm sure she knows that was a joke." Soran smirked to himself, as Vivio stepped into full view, carrying a doll.

"Vivio heard it. Vivio won't let you!" She charged him, vaulting over the armrest and swinging her doll's face hard into his head.

"KWAH!" Soran was slammed to the sofa.

"Mr. Meanie will never marry Suba-nee!" She yelled as she ran off again.

"Where does that girl disappear to? I'm like a victim of guerilla warfare here. HSSSH!" Soran hissed as Subaru painted the lump on his head with disinfectant before placing an ice pack on it.

"I think Fate-san built some trap doors and pathways to make the house more exciting. She and Zaphila have a great time playing hide and seek in here."

"Now you tell me." Soran sighed as he watched Subaru head back to the kitchen, admiring her. Two feet padded forward. "Oh, she shows up again."

"Mr. Meanie, answer Vivio one thing. Will Suba-nee and Mr. Meanie be making babies?"

"Bab… well that's kind of up to her, don't you think? I mean I sure hope she'd want to but…."

"Never…." Vivio's hair covered her eyes. "Mr. Meanie won't make a replacement for Vivio ever!" A magical circle appeared below her feet as wind began to blow.

"Eh… eh?! Wait, you're a… Subaru, how come you didn't mention she had magical abilities?!"

"Oh, I thought you knew, Soran!" She called in without looking. "She's a clone from ancient Belkan DNA. Try not to get her mad, because when she is, she's one rank lower than Nanoha-san."

"HOW THE HELL WOULD I KNOW THAT?!"

Hours later:

"Nanoha and Fate-chan return!" The brunette waltzed through the door with a smile on her face, with her more passive lover following close behind.

"Oh, welcome back you two." Subaru stopped in front of the door, lugging the medkit into the living room.

"What do you need that for, Subaru?" Fate took off her jacket and hung it up.

"You'll see." She sweatdropped as she motioned for them to follow.

As they rounded the corner, they saw a boy sitting there, the bodily proportions of Soran, the hair of Soran, but the face was swollen and covered in bandages beyond recognition. And Vivio was trying desperately to get her tiny hands around his neck. "Yo." The little girl's face practically exploded in happiness as Vivio leapt for Nanoha, planting a foot in Soran's crotch to launch from. "Ergh." Soran whimpered weakly as he toppled. "Just when I thought she couldn't do anything else to me."

"Nanoha-mama! I got him! I got Mr. Meanie back for your ouchie! Vivio is a good girl!" She was picked up. "See? See? Vivio is a good girl! Vivio taught Mr. Meanie not to be bad to mama!"

"Oh my… Soran-kun, that really is you? Fate-chan, take her." She switched the girl into the blonde's arms. "Subaru, hand me the disinfectant."

"Say, Fate-mama, Vivio is a good girl, right?!"

"Of course, Vivio. You're a good girl." Fate poked her nose.

Soran lept up. "IN WHAT DIMENSION?!" Subaru and Nanoha grabbed an arm each and slammed him back to the couch.

Soran downed a glass of juice through a straw as Subaru put away the medkit… again. What was left of Soran's good eye looked rapidly back and forth for Vivio. "Don't worry, Soran-kun, Fate-chan is probably in bed with her. They're both pretty exhausted." Nanoha spoke reassuringly from her seat across. "I should apologize for her. She doesn't really understand just yet about forgiveness."

"I can see that." He winced as he shifted in the sofa.

"But even so, I'm glad. You actually came. Does this mean you'll join us?"

Soran nodded. "However it doesn't come without a couple of conditions. Even after I join, I still have an outstanding contract with my father, so I will need a Saturday or Sunday off every week. Also, I would like to have a Friday off once every two weeks."

"What's the Fridays for?"

"I've got to take Subaru on a date some time, right?"

Nanoha giggled at that. "Fair enough, Soran-kun. Subaru, he said yes!"

"He did?!" The girl's smiling face peered around the corner. "Soran, you have no idea just how happy you've made me! Oh god, I'm so excited!"

"It's not going to be fun and games though, you two. We're still going to go at it double speed! I'm going to work the two of you to the bone. Soran, you'll get your uniform this weekend at your apartment. You're to report on Monday morning at 0500 hours to the morphing field, and then we'll move your stuff into the dorms after morning training. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am." Soran saluted.

"Since I know you can't stand at the moment, I'll let that slide." Nanoha smiled again and saluted back. "Welcome aboard Soran Berkt."

Soran huffed as he ran for the field, in a dark blue athletic vest and gray flared shorts. "Damn it, I'm late! And from the looks of it, they started without me!" There were explosions and flashes of light coming from the simulation island.

"Hold it right there." Signum stepped in front of the bridge, and Vita came up next to her, laying her giant hammer down in the path.

"Sorry new guy, but you're not getting through." Vita sneered.

"I'm a part of TSAB now, and I'm late for my morning training. Sub-commanders please stand aside!"

"Actually, you're not late at all. We're acting on Nanoha-daichou's orders." Signum checked her watch.

"Eh? Then… why are you…?"

"We're gonna soften you up good." Vita tapped the big hammer in her palm. "If you want to be trained by Nanoha directly, you're going to have to get through us! I am Vita, Knight That Smashes All Defenses!"

"I am Signum, Knight of the Diamond Blade!" The pony-tailed one spoke as she drew her sword.

"So this is how Nanoha-san does business huh?" Soran smirked. "It's true that I'm probably at a higher level than the drills they're doing right now, but if you think for a second I'm going to be 'softened up' by the two of you, think again! Kiryu! Garyu! Rainbow Zwei!" He tossed the three keys into the air. "Level Two Release!"

"_Okay Boss."_

"_Javohl." _The three keys combined in midair, the physical weapons turning into a metallic casing with beam fangs as Rainbow formed the center of the mouth.

The entire assembly landed on Soran's left arm and tightened around it. Testing it, it opened, baring its fangs like the head of a dragon. On his right, Barrage Zwei extended into its double-ended form, as the targeting visor materialized over his eyes. "I am Soran Berkt, Master of the Dark Trinity! I will not be hindered by the likes of you!" He dove for the both of them with a battlecry.


	7. Chapter 7

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 7

An explosion rattled all of Section 6 headquarters as smoke billowed from a wall. From that wall dove a teen with dark hair, a struggling girl in his left arm and a shooting staff in the right. "Egh! Let go of me!" The pink-haired dragon princess fought against him. "Soran-san, let go!"

"Shut your trap, ojou-chan!" PVOW. A bullet pierced the ground a foot in front of him. "Tch!"

"Get back here you traitor!" Tea was coming at him full bore on her bike.

Soran jumped off to the side, his visor flipping down as Barrage charged up a large ball of energy. "Nerai wa utz!" The shot hit her back tire hard.

"Agh!" Teana bailed, and a blue scrawl appeared under her, catching her as her momentum slowed. "Thanks Subaru!"

"TOORRYAAAAH!" Subaru roared as she rolled forward. "How dare you do this to us?! Kidnapping Caro and stealing our base plans… you won't get away with it!" She leapt off her Wing Road and prepped her Knuckle for firing.

"Uagh!" Soran roughly switched Caro to the other arm as she blushed.

"Dragon Grip!" He punched his left arm forward, his dragon-headed device lancing into the air, opening its mouth and clamping down on Subaru's waist. "Hengh!" He grunted as he yanked back, tossing her to the ground.

"Why you…!" A shadow covered the both of them.

Caro smiled brightly. "Fried! Erio-kun!"

Erio leapt off of Friedriche's back and pointed his lance down. "_Level two."_ Strada spoke as it changed form.

"Thunder Rage!" He fell upon the boy, electrical bolts paralleling him.

"Heh." Soran grinned as he lifted Caro by the nape of her cape in front of him. "Careful who you might hit with that!"

"Agh!" Erio gasped, stopping his attack, the electric bolts disappearing as well.

"That's better!" He grabbed him with the Dragon Head. "You can dish it, but can you take it? Thunder Rage!"

Bolts of plasma shot from Rainbow Zwei's core and shocked Erio. "GAAAAAHHH!"

"Erio-kun!" Caro gasped as Soran dropped him.

"Don't worry, Princess… he's fine, if he quits right now." He smirked at her.

She blushed and wriggled a little under his stare. "Um… um…."

"Oi, what are you thinking? Don't you get the situation?" He picked her up and started running again. "You're my hostage, understand?!"

"U-unh." She blushed again, realizing how tight he was holding her.

"TEEERRRAAAAH!" White spikes emerged from the ground as a dark gray wolf leapt from a ditch. "You won't escape."

"Heh!" Soran took to the air. "So it's the Guardian Beast of Ultimate Defense. I was wondering when the subcommanders were going to show up. But what can you do from that range, Zaphila?"

"Not much, until I pin you myself! Gigant CRUSHAAAAAAAA!" Graf Eisen came plowing towards the escapee.

"Not this again!" He hugged Caro against him as he crossed his arms. "Round Shield Triple."

"You think that will work this time?!" Vita snarled as the pole got shorter, pulling her closer to her target. Graf Eisen morphed into a jet propelled drill. "Raketen Missile!" The device cocked three cartridges and began to drill through the shield.

Soran raised his left arm and opened the weapon's mouth. "_Inferno."_ Scorching flames poured forth, consuming Graf Eisen's hammer head.

"That won't stop me!" Vita squeezed the handle harder, until she smelled something burning. Then she looked down at her gloves, which were smoldering from the transferred heat down her device. "OW! Ow owowowowow!" She dropped her weapon and began to blow on her hands.

"Then it's up to us." A fused Signum and Akito extended Laevantein in its serpent form, coated in flames behind them. "You're not the only one with fire abilities. Shiden Issen!" They hurled the snakesword at the two of them.

"_Cyclone."_ Rainbow Zwei blinked as a wall of swirling air enveloped them, sending the spiraling flame sword into the air.

Soran whipped around and pointed his shooting device at the aggressor. "Don't underestimate me!"

"_Variable Bullet."_ Soran squeezed the trigger, launching the bullet through his defense screen.

"Signum!" Akito disengaged the unison and flew in front of her, spreading a barrier. The little demongirl fought against the attack with all her might, but the barrier shattered and she was knocked out cold.

"Akito! Guh…!" The next shot hit her in the temple when she wasn't looking and Signum was sent sailing to the ground.

"You're all too weak! You try that again and the girl dies!" He pointed a beam fang at Caro's neck.

"Wow…." Caro whispered as she stared into his eyes, blushing the entire time.

When he turned to look at her, his face faulted. "Don't you still get it?! If they attack, I cut your head off! Get a grip on the situation already!"

"Eh? Oh!" She coughed. "NO! Somebody save me! I don't want to die! Someone, anyone!"

From the roof of the building, a lightning spark occurred with a swirling mass of energy-charged air. "Return… Caro. Return… CARO!" Erio's eyes were enraged as he took aim.

Strada cocked an entire clip. "_Speerangriff."_

"Caro KAISEI!" Strada ignited its thrusters and launched the boy at a blinding speed.

"Egh?!" Soran gasped as he tried to reinforce the wall of air, as Strada's lance head began to punch through. "I won't let you!" Caro looked at his struggling face in captive awe.

Erio's arm thrust through the barrier. "Caro! Caro give me your hand!" The girl continued to stare at the boy holding her. "Caro, open your eyes!"

"Ehhehe." She let out a quick giggle.

"Hah?!" Erio gasped, and all his energy disappeared. He fell to the ground on his back, knocking the wind out of him.

"Heh… heheh. HA HAHAHA!" Soran laughed wideeyed! "Why'd you have to go and do that?! Now I really have to kill her! You stupid boy, you should have done something that actually…" PVOW! "Worked." Soran blacked from the pain in his forehead.

A whistle blew, and terminal windows popped up everywhere. "Okay, exercise complete!" Nanoha spoke as the setting melted away. "Shamal, please treat those that are unconscious. The rest please wait outside of my office."

All of the forwards including Soran sat in uniform in Nanoha's office. Caro was still fidgeting and blushing, while Soran rolled his eyes. Erio shot an unnoticed glare at the older teen, and Subaru shot one at Caro. Teana seemed to be the only one satisfied in the room, even after Nanoha and Fate entered. "Well now, it's time for your battle evaluations." Nanoha placed a folder on her desk as she sat down.

"Before that, I have a question, Commander." Soran raised his hand. "Who was the one at the end that took me down? I seem to be blanking."

"That was Teana, using her Level 3 Cross Mirage, a long distance snipe shot from the roof, using the hole that Erio punched in your defense wall." Fate answered, bringing up the recording.

"Ow. That stings just to look at it again." Soran joked.

"I was going to aim lower, but I couldn't see my target past Caro's skirt." Teana grinned menacingly.

"Anyway, evaluation time." Nanoha waved off any further questions. "Teana Lanster, A."

"Yes!"

"You have demonstrated that you have completely mastered the shooting capabilities of level three Cross Mirage. I think this may be from Vice-kun's help. You've graduated this level."

"Thank you, commander!" Tea bowed as the others gave small applause.

"Subaru Nakajima, D!"

"EH?!" Subaru gasped. "Wh-why?!"

Amidst whispers from the group Nanoha continued. "What were you thinking jumping into battle like that? Subaru, you know your attacks are not made for missions like these! In a hostage or recovery mission, your punches will only hurt both the criminal and the hostage. That and the fact that you need to be within short range to do so gives the criminal plenty of time to threaten the hostage's life!"

"Unh…." Subaru looked at her knees.

"What you should have done was stay on backup. What you did to save Teana was correct, which is why I didn't give you a failing grade. However Erio, Signum, and Akito could have all used your assistance in the same manner. Do you understand?"

"But Subcommander Vita was trying the same thing!"

"She was specifically trying to call out his guard while Signum got into position at his flank. You had no one assisting you. Now do you understand why you're getting a D?"

"Yes ma'am." She gripped the fringe of her skirt tight.

"Erio Mondial. Your grade is C." Fate addressed him, because of his Star Squad affiliation.

"Uh?" The redhead blinked.

"I see that surprises you. Going back, your surprise attack with Thunder Rage was appropriate."

"But he put Caro in front of him!"

"True, however your skill with that attack would have allowed you to avoid seriously harming her. Though it is always good to consider the hostage's safety, pulling out of your attack left you open to take one. Therefore you got deducted points. The other issue is when you used your Spear Attack. 

Though in normal circumstances it would be considered a correct maneuver, in which you even correctly gauged the strength of Soran's barrier, Caro's life had already been threatened. Because you failed in the attack, Caro would have died. That was a risk that you should not have taken."

"With all due respect, Commander Fate," Teana raised her hand. "The execution of that plan was mine. We had already set it up by the time Soran threatened Caro's life, and I deemed it to be a considerable enough risk not to lose the opportunity. I do not believe Erio's score should be based on that section."

"I understand that, Teana-san, however there is one more thing about it. Erio… you backed out of the attack, didn't you? You gave up. When you realized that Caro wasn't listening, you gave up on rescuing her, and that is an unforgiveable act! If you have a hostage situation as such you will continue to push and push until you reach your goal. There is no backing out! That is why I docked you!"

"Yes ma'am." Erio sighed, gripping his fist tightly.

"Now, for Caro Ru Lushe. I am going to be brutally honest today, Caro-chan." Fate sighed, furrowing her brow, her usually quiet demeanor disappearing. "You fail!" Everyone, including Nanoha was stunned at the change. "Just what were you doing up there?! What were you thinking about?! You failed as a role of a hostage! The hostage must do what is demanded of her, yes, however she must stay ever vigilant for opportunities to escape! I counted at least three times where you could have even just elbowed Soran to be able to get free, and the most certain attempt, when Erio was trying to save you, you didn't even notice!"

"Ma'am, if I may..." Soran raised his hand. "I believe Caro's strategy was to identify with the captor, thus lulling me into a false sense of sec…."

She slapped her hands on the desk and leaned forward "Then let me hear it from her mouth! Was it that, Caro? Remember, Caro, we've been together long enough that I can tell when you're lying, so make sure it's the truth."

Caro paused, flicking a piece of lint off her skirt in frustration. "No ma'am, it wasn't. Soran-kun, thank you for trying, but… I have no excuse for my actions during the exercise."

Fate's look softened as she sat back down, sighing. "I want a 1 Gigabyte report on what you did wrong in the exercise, including embedded recordings with notes, and I want it in four hours. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am."

"All the forwards are dismissed, then." Nanoha tapped her finger on her desk. "Get some lunch." All five stood and saluted before turning to file out the door. "Soran-kun, hold back. We're not done with you yet."

"Oh, right. I'm sorry." He got out of line and sat back down.

When the doors closed, Nanoha spoke again. "You did it again, Soran-kun."

"Kgh." Soran winced.

"Seriously, what can I do to get you to hold back, Soran? You're still far too strong for them. I've told you from the start that the first part of your training is to learn to control your powers at lower levels. If you don't get a hold of it soon, we're going to have a major problem."

"We even had to call in the subcommanders so it would make the odds seem even." Fate sighed. "Soran, why do you keep going at full power? There must be some reason. Did someone teach you to do it that way?"

Soran nodded. "My father."

"Your father? Mustang Belt has no magical statistics to speak of."

"Not Mustang, my biological father." He gripped his knees tightly, the flesh starting to pull.

"Soran-kun…. Is-is this a part of why you hate TSAB so much?"

He trembled, nodding. "We were attacked by a TSAB mage. My father held back in fear that I'd get hurt in the process, and in the end he was destroyed!" He leapt up and punched a hole in Nanoha's desk. "Because of you, I lost everything I knew, everything I held dear, this cybernetic arm reminding me every day of what was taken from me!" He raised his fist, ready to plow into Nanoha's forehead. "That's why I won't hold back, not against you, TSAB, or anyone who gets in my way! I won't give anyone the chance to make me disappear!"

Fate gently put her hand over his raised fist. "I see. Please calm down, Soran-kun. It's not Nanoha's fault, but TSAB's right? Now come on…."

"Hau…" Nanoha hiccupped.

"Uh?" Soran's anger disappeared as he finally realized what was going on, a tear running down Nanoha's cheek. "Why are you…."

"Soran, come on, let's leave." Fate ushered him out the door quickly. After locking the room, she turned to him. "Because of a TSAB communication error, Nanoha was forced to wipe out an entire city of noncombatant mages. They didn't realize before it was too late. Your story reminded her of it. It's something that she's still plagued with."

"I see… so sometimes the victims aren't just the innocent." Soran looked back at the door. All of a sudden he found himself enveloped in a hug.

"I know you're still mad at TSAB, but now that we know what's wrong, we'll find a way to deal with it together. Don't lose all hope in us." Fate hugged him closer, a tear running out of her eye. Soran couldn't really say anything, his emotions locked from the sudden affection.

Soran shoved a forkful of pasta in his mouth, surveying the unusually quiet lunch table. Everyone realized how low Caro was feeling, and it was creating a dark cloud above them all. He struggled to get the wad down his throat and spoke. "Hey, anyone have any interesting talents?"

"Talents?" Tea blinked as she picked up her soda and took a sip.

"Yeah, I don't mean like mage or battle stuff, like your illusion tricks. I was thinking more common stuff. I for one can do a little impression work."

"Impressions?" Subaru perked up. "I didn't know you could do that. That sounds fun, right Erio-kun?" Subaru jabbed him in the rib.

"Uh? Oh… oh yeah! What kind of impressions do you do?'

"Well I don't mean to brag, but… " He leaned forward. "I can do the subcommanders."

"Eeeehh?" The three who were paying attention all had their eyes on him. "Do one! Do one!"

"I want to see your Zaphila!" Subaru raised her hand.

"Okay okay." Soran stood up and stepped back, clearing his throat. "Ouh! I'm Zaphila, The Guardian Beast of Absolute Defense. I'm big and strapping, I can bench press a helicopter, but my thing still disappears inside me when I stand up."

"Pffffff!" Tea's soda left her mouth in a cold, sticky spray. She coughed hard. "A-a bit lewd there, but still funny. Do another one, how about Vita this time?"

"Hai hai." Soran backed up and closed his eyes. He balled his fist and a fang appeared in his mouth when he opened it. "Hey, you dumbasses! What the hell do you think you're doing laughing at that fake-ass impression of me?! I'm nowhere near like that! I am Vita, Knight that Smashes All Defenses! I can turn anything into a pancake in three seconds flat… but I still can't get into R-rated movies…." He put on a pouty face at the end.

"Oh God! Oh God!" Subaru smacked her hand on the table. "That was spot on!"

"Okay okay. I'm on a roll now, so here's Signum." His posture straightened and he put his hand on his hip. His eyes opened only half way. "How shameful, to be entertained by a second rate copy of myself. I should draw my blade and cut your heart out for this, Soran Berkt." Erio was dabbing his eyes with a napkin. "I am Signum, Knight of the Diamond Blade! One strike from my Laevantien and I will remove your head. However I cannot strike lower because I cannot see past my breasts."

"No more… no more, please!" Subaru waved her arms in front of her face.

Soran looked to the pink-haired girl at the table, her face still downcrest, although there was a tiny hint of a smile. He made a large sigh. "Hold on to your spleens guys, I'm going to have to pull out the big guns for this one. Hey…." He knocked on her forehead and she looked up slowly. "Just to let you know, this one's for you Little Princess. Here's Commander Rein." Everyone blinked. He took a very deep breath and smiled brightly. "Desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu Rein will try her best!" He took another deep breath. "Desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu desu."

In the middle of his act, the little woman entered in search of food. "Mmmgh!" She snarled, pulling out her little book. Backing up to the wall, she kicked off and dove forward at full speed. "DESU!" She smacked him in the back of his head, his face plowing into his spaghetti.

Life paused for a moment as everyone waited for what he would do. Soran raised his head and turned towards Caro. The meatballs popped out of his eye sockets as he blinked. He sniffled. "Rein can't eat all of this, desu…."

It was first a snort, then a chortle, and then a grin, and then full fledged laughter as Caro finally began to enjoy herself again. "H-here." She tried to catch her breath. "Clean yourself off." She raised a napkin to his face. "Thank you, Soran-san. Everyone."

"No problem." Subaru winked.

"It wasn't us who did anything." Erio shrugged.

"We're just glad you're back to normal." Tea gave her a thumbs up.

"Desu!" Rein spoke happily, even though she didn't get what was going on. After a pause, everyone started laughing again. "What?!"

"Soran." Subaru rolled up to him on Mach Caliber. "Ready to head out? Where are we going on our date today?"

"Actually, Su… about that, could I ask you a favor?" He looked towards the center of the lounge, where Caro stared at the field outside. He whispered to her.

"Eh?! Caro?!" She whispered back.

"She's been down ever since the kidnapping scenario. I feel responsible because she was my partner for it. I at least want to help her work things out so she won't fall behind. So could you let me, Su? I think you understand that something needs to be done."

"Unh… I understand. It doesn't mean I have to like it. It's our day after all. Just make sure you don't get any romantic moments in, and I'll deal with it. But if anything happens…." She put her fist between his legs. "I'll borrow Blitz Caliber from Gin-nee and send you out the building through a newly made exit fit especially for you. I'm sure you get that, right?"

Soran swallowed. "R-right." After she removed her fist, he sighed and gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'll be back tonight." He walked over to Caro and looked her in the eye through the reflection in the window. "So where too, Ojou-chan?"

"Eh?" Caro blinked, turning to face him.

"You look like you need some time off base. Name the place, I'll take you."

"But… but… you're going out with Subaru-san! Why are you suddenly asking me out?"

"I'm not asking you out, Ojou-chan. I mean what I said, you look like you need some time off base. I've already asked Su, and she's okay with it, so come on, let's go, as comrades and friends!"

"Comrades… and friends…." She repeated for a second. "Okay, Soran-san, let me change and I'll be right with you."

"Haum!" Caro took a big spoonful of a sundae, grinning from ear to ear. Her bright pink civilian clothes stood out next to the drab of practically everything else, including Soran, whose usual red and blue pattern was inverted with a blue T-shirt and a dark red fleece jacket.

"When I said 'Name the place' I didn't think you'd pick an ice-cream shop." He took a lick of his vanilla cone. "I'm not one for sweets, but this stuff is pretty good."

"That's what Shari-san told me too. I had wanted to come here especially, since Erio and I didn't get the chance to last time we went out together." Her mind flashed back to their encounter with Vivio, the Relic, and the events that followed.

"I read about that in the Section 6 database." Soran took another lick. "What happened to that girl… Lutecia was it?"

"She's in the rehab center with the willing cyborgs. She actually volunteered. I think there are a couple among them she really cares for."

"Well, that's good." He turned towards the outlook to the sea. "Hey, the sun is starting to set. Want to watch?"

"Unh." She picked up her bowl and took it with her. "It's beautiful." She sighed as the sky was painted with bright pastels reflected off the clouds.

"This is what we joined TSAB for. To protect this sky, and all others like it, and the people that live underneath it." Soran smacked himself with the palm of his hand. "God, I sound like a recruitment commercial."

Caro giggled. "Maybe a little."

They continued to watch for a while, until the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon. "Caro, what happened out there today?"

"I… um…."

"Is it my fault? Did I do something wrong that made you screw up?"

"Of course not, Soran-san!" She gasped. "You really think it's your fault? It's not that at all! I just… was distracted." She couldn't look him in the eye.

"Distracted? What could have distracted you? You're usually the one that keeps the most observant so you can cast backup spells."

"Soran-san… The truth is…." The light disappeared and the sunset was over. "I like you, Soran-san." The street lights went on the moment after she said it. "I've got a crush on you, and a big one at that. When you were announced my partner, and you were supposed to kidnap me, I got all excited. I know I was supposed to act scared and try to get away, and you were playing the person who would threaten me, but I couldn't bring myself to think of you like that. You're kind and gentle around your loved ones, and I knew you wouldn't hurt me. To be honest, I didn't want them to rescue me. I felt safe and happy."

"I… I… Caro, I never knew."

"Unh, I understand. I'm normally not one to share this kind of thing. I felt really special when you started calling me Little Princess. I knew it was just a playful nickname, but it means a lot to me." She sighed, gripping the back of the bench tight. "What really bothers me is that I know, even after all of this, you'll be with Subaru-san. Everything I've felt will amount to nothing. I'm not okay with that, even though I knew it from the start."

"So why then? Why are you confessing to me instead of just keeping it to yourself?"

"Because of what happened today. My crush on you got in the way of my duties, and everyone saw it. I didn't think it would be a big deal until today. So… I need to confess and move on, no matter how it hurts!" She stared at him with teary eyes.

"Caro…."

"Don't look at me like that! You always have that caring look on your face!" She broke eye contact.

"Caro, if I say I want Subaru, are you going to hate her?"

"Hate her?! No! Of course not! Subaru-san is one of my best friends! She even scrubs my back in the bath sometimes. Soran-san, if you choose her, I would consider her the luckiest girl in the world!"

"I see." He reached out and patted her on the head. "You really are a good girl, Little Princess. But your choice in men is all wrong. I'm a really evil person on the inside, you know." He winked.

"That's impossible, Soran-san." Caro dried her eyes. "You just don't know yourself like the rest of us do."

The teen downed his cone in ten seconds flat and pitched the napkin. "So, ready to continue?"

"Eh? Continue."

"Just because I rejected your feelings doesn't mean I don't want to spend time with you, Ojou-chan. Let's go somewhere else. We'll make this our first and last date."

"Soran-san!" She sniffled and ran to give him a hug. "I don't care where we go, you decide! As long as I can spend this time with you!"

It was late at night when the two returned. The rest of the forwards, and even Nanoha and Fate were sitting in the lounge waiting for them. Caro was trembling, wide eyed, taking slow, cautious steps as Soran just had his hands behind his head, walking casually.

"Took you long enough to get back." Subaru was tapping her foot. "Just where did you two go, eh, Caro?"

She didn't answer, just looking around wildly. Soran signaled them to wait as he knelt down next to her and put his mouth to her ear. "Boo!"

"HYYEAAAAAGGGHHH!" Caro screeched as she backed up ten steps. She pressed one hand against her heart and whipped the other one out to point at the boy. "I am never going with you anywhere again! What kind of guy takes a girl to a movie that?! I take it back! You really are an evil person!"

"Say, Caro…." Erio put a hand on her shoulder and she jumped away again. "Wow, you're really jumpy. Just what movie did you see?"

"I took her to Freddy vs Jason vs Alien vs Predator." Soran sighed.

"That movie?!" Teana's jaw dropped. "I heard that during the premiere, a 25 year old man had a heart attack and died, it was so scary!"

"Hmmph!" Caro huffed. "And he expected me to enjoy that? What kind of lady likes that kind of flick?"

Tea and Su both raised their hands, and slowly, Fate's hand rose too. Everyone's attention turned to her. "What? It's good to be scared once in a while. That way I can cuddle up close to my loved one at night." She poked Nanoha in the underarm.

"Agh, Fate-chan, stop it! Come on, not there!" She batted the girl's hands away.

"You can keep him then, Subaru-san. You two were made for each other, it seems. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a long dip in the bath!" Caro left quickly, but then she came back. "Um… could one of you come with me? I don't want to go in alone right now. Face huggers incubate in warm, moist places." She began trembling again.


	8. Chapter 8

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 8

FwaTHUMP. FwaTHUMP. BMP BMP. The pattern continued as Soran thrust his thinly gloved fists into the punching bag. "That's good, Soran-kun!" Nanoha was holding the bag for him. "Keep it up, use your concentration to keep your strength under control. Hit the bag, don't punch through it."

Hayate sat on a bench with Rein, both in workout clothes, towels draped over their shoulders. "It's really an ingenious approach she's thought of to help him gain better control."

"But it's only because of the way he's built desu. Soran-kun's left arm is overpowered to start, so if he realizes his control of that is linked to his magical abilities…."

"He can ease his usage level."

The only boy in the room was sweating up a storm. A bead rolled into his eye. "Agh!" His left fist went forward, into and through the bag, connecting with Nanoha's cheek on the other side.

"Kyah!" She yelped as she hit the ground.

"Nanoha-san!" All three yelled as they went up to her.

"Ngh." She winced and rubbed her cheek as she sat up. "You'll have points docked for that, Soran."

"I'm sorry. A drop of sweat rolled into my eye and it stung enough for me to lose my concentration." He gripped his workout shirt's lower edge and tugged, ripping a long section off. He tied it on his forehead tightly. "It won't happen again."

"It's okay. I've been holding that thing for a good four hours now." The brunette wiped the sweat off her face and sat down. "Hayate-chan, can we switch?"

"That's why I'm here today." The punching bag reformed as Hayate got into position as Nanoha looked out the window to the lake the morphing field was sitting on.

"We've been at it for four hours?!" Soran blinked. "I could have sworn it was only one."

"By conserving your energy, your stamina doesn't decrease as quickly. Because you go full bore most of the time, your max operation time is usually two hours desu."

Soran began his exercises again. "So how long can the three of you go then?"

"My skills are high power, so I can't last as long as the others, but I'd say I can last around 12 hours if I have to." Hayate braced herself against the bag. "But I need to sleep for a good 24 afterwards. Nanoha-chan here holds the record."

"48 hours, 27 minutes, and 53 seconds. It's not a world record though."

"48…." Soran took another weak punch. "As expected of Nanoha-san. However, I would savor that record if I were you, because I intend to break it."

"I hope so, or else recruiting you would be a waste." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"You look like you went through a war." Teana said as Soran stumbled over to the cafeteria table.

"T…ten hours on a punching bag." He sighed as he sat down.

"Oh, so she ran you through that, finally?" Subaru put a bowl of salad in front of him. "I made it to six on my first try. Dressing?"

"Thousand Island, please." Soran nodded. "I smashed the bag seven times though."

"At that point the mental fatigue sets in. I'm surprised she let you keep going after five."

Soran looked down at his food. "I just realized that I can't grip my fork." He hung his head.

"I'll go blend it up for you, Soran-san." Caro took the bowl and padded off to the kitchen.

"A salad shake… mmm, sounds yummy." Erio made a gagging noise. He got a bunch of EWWs from around the table.

Caro came back with a tall glass of green liquid with a long straw in it. "Thanks, Little Princess." Soran winced and swallowed. "Ugh! Well it all ends up in the same place, so down the hatch!" He took an agonizingly long slurp that brought the shake down to the bottom of the glass. "Let's just hope I don't burp and find out what that tasted like." His cheeks puffed out. "Crap… nevermind." His tongue rolled out and he dabbed it with his napkin.

"Hey, how about this? If you were to invent one food, or food variation, what would it be?" Tea asked.

"That's easy, Tea." Subaru nodded. "Frozen Hotdogs."

Everyone paused. "Um… I think that's already around." Erio raised his hand.

"Not edible frozen hotdogs. I'm tired of having to cook hotdogs to eat them. I want to make a hotdog you can eat while it's frozen, right out of the box."

"That sounds really weird, Subaru-san." Caro spoke. "Frozen anything is very difficult to eat unless it's a popsicle or ice cream."

"Then I'll make a hot dog flavored ice cream!"

"MGH!" Erio and Soran covered their mouths.

"Oh stop that! Soran-kun, if you can do better, then let's hear it!"

"Fine fine. I'd make a liquid soup that tastes like pizza."

"Oh God!" Tea winced.

"What the hell?" Erio shook his head.

"You've got to be off your rocker." That was Subaru's comment.

"I'm serious! Have you ever sucked on a pepperoni long enough that it tastes like a pepperoni pizza? I want to capture that taste in a soup form, tomato juice with a hint of cheese and a gleam of garlic bread. I could even make them chunky soups depending on what toppings they wanted. Everyone would love it!"

"I wouldn't."

"Me neither."

"I'd skip that in the soup isle."

"Sorry, Soran-san, but that just doesn't sound appetizing."

"Oh what do you all know? Ojou-chan, what would you make then?"

"Eh?" Caro blinked. "Um… well… you know how I lived on a nature preserve for a long time right? Shipments were few and far between, so I had to make do with some of the wildlife. So… I don't know if I should tell you."

"Come on, Caro-chan." Tea urged. "I want to hear what your wilderness training has made up for your meals."

"Okay then…. Crispy Cricket Bread!" Caro said dreamily.

Three sets of plates and silverwear clattered together. "I'm done." Subaru winced.

"Second that, Su." Soran rubbed his stomach.

"I've got indigestion." Tea also got up and followed the couple out.

Erio looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. "I'd eat it."

"You wanted to see me, Shari-san?" Soran walked into the tech lab, and the door closed behind him.

"Ah, there you are, Soran-kun." The long brown-haired woman had her back turned to him. "I'm just finishing the final touches on your devices."

"Finally! I've been feeling naked without them."

"Uuuuhhh. Uhuhu…." Shari's head lifted up as rainbow colored dream bubbles floated above her head, a drop of drool leaning out of her mouth.

"Oi. What are you thinking about?" Soran came up next to her and shot an annoyed look.

"Uh? Oh nothing, nothing. Anyway, it took a lot of doing, but we've turned Barrage into the main AI, and the others are all subsets. You custom built their code originally, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. Barrage, how are you feeling?"

"_Output is fine._"

"How about personally?"

"_If I had fears, claustrophobic._"

"I'm impressed, Shari-san. Even with my programming, I couldn't get them to do anything more than acknowledge physical and audible cues. Where are the others?"

"I modified them all so they can be stored inside each other. No more having to have a single keychain on each extremity. Even in standby mode, it's a single set of keys now." She pushed up her spectacles and motioned him closer. "I even have a mod on the keys so that they can adapt to fit the lock you press it in. Just in case you want to take Subaru somewhere… private?" She giggled.

"You… you really are a hopeless romantic, honestly. What if I suddenly decided to use this key to get into the armory or the Omega level clearance room?"

"Because you won't." She said confidently. "Soran, though you may still hate TSAB for whatever reason, I think even you realize that you're having fun in Nanoha-san's training. She may not say it all the time, but she's very happy with you and everyone as well. Watching you, interacting with you, and speaking with Subaru about you, I know you're not going to betray the trust that you've built here. That's a reason why I'm trusting you with the keys. You won't do anything bad with them, unless you and Subaru are doing it together." She stuck out her tongue.

Soran stood in the middle of the morphing field, currently shaped like a school gymnasium. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Barrage, you ready?"

"_Always. Setup initialization. Get ready."_

He tossed the keys into the air. "Barrage Zwei, SET UP!" The first key glowed and levitated in the air. The key stretched out and thickened into a metallic blue shooting staff. It opened three hatches and the other keys landed inside it. Soran's clothes transformed into his battle suit and barrier jacket, except for some slight differences. "What?" He grabbed Barrage and twirled it around like a bo staff before getting a better look at his clothes. The cuffs of his jacket were bright blue with yellow stripes, his boots had black and yellow stripes on it, and on the back of the jacket there was an image of six black feathers.

"We modified your jacket to signify your team allegiance. You've noticed that Subaru and Tea have my cuffs, right?" Nanoha raised hers up. "The boot stripes signify you're also under Fate-chan, and the feathers signify Hayate-chan as well. You've studied directly under all three of us, so we couldn't agree to put you under a specific team, so you're officially the start of Section 6 Team Darkwing. We're planning on having the other forwards join you as they continue their training, but don't tell them just yet, we want it to be a surprise." Nanoha winked.

"I see. Thank you, Nanoha-san." Soran bowed to her.

"Now let's see what you can do with those upgrades of yours! This is a test program made to evaluate your endurance in a steadily more difficult situation."

"Yes ma'am! Commandcom, priority to Soran Berkt personal biometrics. Username: Dark Trinity! Run program in ten seconds!" Soran prepped his shooting staff in his hand as the countdown screen went off. When it reached zero, he stood there, waiting, waiting, waiting for the enemies to come. Suddenly a large shadow appeared, expanding below his feet.

"_Above._"

"Geh!" Soran kicked backwards as a large metallic structure landed where he once was.

"Eh?!" Nanoha gasped. "What is that?!" A white four point star hovered over the ground, a golden eye on each arm. It leaned forward and its two side arms bent so they touched the ground.

"Well this is new. Nanoha-san, I thought the enemies were going to be Gadgets."

"They're supposed to be! Soran-kun, be careful, something is very wrong!"

The creature leaned forward and opened two hatches on its back surface, shooting a shockwave at the boy. "_Round Shield._" Barrage said quickly and a magical defense circle was put in its path.

When it hit, it swept through the shield, destabilizing it. "An AMF Shockwave?!" The enemy hurled itself forward with its front legs, coasting on the antigrav on the back tip. "Kgh!" Soran swung to parry the blow, but the sheer speed sent him and the enemy robot flying into the back wall, pinning him between its left arm and head point. "You bastard!" He gripped the enemy's head with his strong left hand, swinging Barrage underneath and shooting multiple times.

"It's not even making a dent at point blank range!" Nanoha gasped.

Soran grunted as he pushed some room between the wall and the enemy. "_Sonic Move._"

He leapt into the air and flipped over, landing on the ceiling. "Then how about this?!" He charged up a stronger shot, coated twice in magical layers. "Double Variant Bullet!" Soran squeezed the trigger and the ball of energy hurtled towards the enemy's angled surface. BFWONG! It ricocheted through the wall. The star flipped over, all four of its golden eyes looking up at him.

"Shamal, Shari, Hayate! There's something drastically wrong with the program! There's some kind of enemy I've never seen attacking Soran on the first level!" It jumped, whirling like a shuriken. "Soran-kun!"

"Kiryu! Garyu!" They both popped out of his staff and extended into their shotel form. Garyu stopped one of the spikes, and Kiryu was raised up high, stopping the spin with the strength of Soran's arm. "Just what the hell are you?!" They broke away from each other. The HUD visor materialized over his eyes. "Thanks Barrage." He began to analyze it. "Transmit data to Nanoha's viewer."

"Armor rank, 20 points on the body? 25 on the tips?! Soran, that thing is a fortress, get out of there!"

"Don't think it will let me." He tried to fly to the side, but it kept up. "Nope, it won't let me."

"Oh yes it will!" Nanoha pointed to it and released a hundred balls of light. The enemy shimmered, and the attack blew through the roof. "Ah! Soran, I can't attack it! It's a part of the program which was set to your biometrics!" It rushed Soran again. "No!"

"_Axtform." _The two bladed devices combined into one double-sided halberd. Soran's foot landed on the enemy, and he flipped over, slamming into the back of it with the axe.

He pushed his full weight into the attack. "Come on, cut!" The panel he was trying to get through split open, tossing him backwards. A magical ring surrounded the opening and a ball of energy appeared. "Round Shield Triple!" The energy flashed right as the shields went up. "GWAAAAAHHH!" He was thrown back to the wall.

"Soran-kun!" Nanoha was beginning to freak. "Why? Why can't I do anything?!"

"Nanoha-chan!" Hayate came up on screen. "Someone altered the program! I don't know how or when, but someone created a Gadget Type 4 in the system!"

"Shut it down! Shut it down, and hurry!"

"We've been trying, but it's not working!"

Soran dropped down to the floor. "Level Two Release!" Rainbow, Kiryu, and Garyu formed together on his left arm. "Burn you bastard!" He opened up the dragon's mouth, and flame poured from it. The star was enveloped by the flames. One of its arm tips shot out towards the wall and anchored, yanking the entire thing away from the fire. The other arm pointed towards Soran and fired. Soran rolled out of the way as the lance dug into the ground inches from him. He punched his dragon head forward, biting into the harpoon with his beam teeth. He gave an extra hard yank, and the starfish was pulled from the wall it was clinging to. "Encase this world in eternal ice!"

"_Glacier._"

Before the star could recover, Soran scooped the ball of energy onto Barrage. "Glacial…." He pulled the star in close. "BUSTER!" The energy ball consumed the star and solidified into a crystal. "I get him?!" He jumped back, away from the anchor.

The anchor tip released and retracted. The ice shattered as it flexed its limbs. "It's… invincible…." Nanoha stared in disbelief. "Z-Zaphila!" A window appeared. "Get down to the power room and cut it off! Hurry!"

"Nanoha, I'm sending Rein and Akito down to you!" Hayate spoke from her window. "I'm sure you know why."

"Ah."

Tea came up on another screen. "The forwards are heading your way too. We might not be able to fight that thing, but at least we can give Soran some support!"

"Unh!" The star did something new. It floated in the center of the arena and pointed all of its arms down. The eyes began to rotate on the tips and red beams began shooting out of it. "Soran-kun!"

"I already know!" He rolled away from one shot and kicked across the wall to avoid another. "Lightning BUSTER!" He found an opening and took an electrical approach. The attack stunned the robot, but nothing more.

"This is Zaphila, I'm at the power room. The override isn't working. Whoever thought of this trap was a genius. Permission to destroy the generator itself."

"Granted!" Nanoha said.

"You won't be able to do it without me." Vita was battle ready, running down the tunnels. "I'm en route right now. Tell the brat to hang in there."

"Nanoha-chan!" Rein and Akito flew up next to her.

"Thank God you're here! Akito, you've had experience linking up with male mages before, right?"

"Yeah I have. Oh, I gotcha!"

"Unh. Soran, try to get as close to us as possible. Akito will Unison with you!"

"I've never done a Unison though! Inferno BUSTER!" A beam caught the corner of his barrier jacket and sliced it off. "Damn it!"

"Just remember that I have fire elementals, and I'll handle the rest!" Akito shed her brown uniform to reveal her normal attire and covered herself in flames as she closed in. When she saw an opening, she pressed her hand to his chest. "Unison IN!" Soran's uniform colors shifted into the red and purple spectrum, his hair turning a light purple. The dragon head on his left hand roared as a puff of flames emerged and it stretched.

"Where'd you go?" Soran looked around quickly before dodging a shot.

"I'm right here. I'm inside you. I'm currently sharing my magical energies with you. What you feel, I feel, so do me a favor and don't get hit. If we do an attack, do it together, and we can get more power out of it. That's the way a Unison works."

"I see. What's with the dragon?"

"Dunno. That's the first time I've seen a device transform from a Unison. Care to test it out?"

"With pleasure. Okay you type four, get ready for an Akito/Soran combo attack!" They both said at the same time. "Grand Fireball!" The dragon's eyes flashed and it opened its mouth wide as a ball of flaming energy swelled. It continued to grow until it enveloped the entire half of the building the Starfish was in.

"That had to work!" Soran grunted.

SHLUK! "Agh!" They both grunted. A bloody trail in the air drew their gaze to Soran's side, clipped by the Type 4's anchor lance.

"RGH!" Soran's rage burned is he turned towards the Type 4, glowing hot, but still intact. His dragon clamped on the anchor rope tight. "Use the other arm, Akito!" He pointed the other into the sky.

"Uh? Wait, do it together!"

"Sennen Housenka!" Barrage shot small impact fireballs like a machine gun into the Starfish. The power shook it in midair, but when the smoke cleared it was none the worse for wear. "Then we'll try for point blank then!" He rushed the starfish, the dragon head open. "Akito, full power to Grand Fireball! We'll take this guy down from a half an inch!"

"Y-yeah, got it! Full power!" Akito focused all her energy. "This is all I've got, Soran. If this doesn't work, we're screwed!"

"Kiryu, Garyu! Full power to beam fangs! Make sure you can punch through that armor!"

"_Javol mein Furor._"

A part of him filed away that he should get rid of that "mein Furor" part, but the rest was focused on the enemy in front of him. The beam fangs glowed white hot as the Starfish leaned forward, opening its hatches. "Shockwave, desu!" Rein cried out.

"Heh. Do you really think that trick…" The both of them grunted as Soran used Akito's plasma wings to dodge underneath. "would work on us twice?!" Soran flipped upsidedown and slammed the claws into the underbelly. The gunner hatch popped open, tossing out the beam fangs from the bulkhead. "What I was hoping for! Grand Fireball!" The raging orange sphere expanded inside the casing of the Type 4 as they all shook from the sheer power.

The Starfish suddenly closed its hatches around the sphere. "What?!" The enemy twitched as its armor glowed red hot. Nanoha and Rein checked the readouts. "It's a rebound! Soran-kun!" The main cannon opened up and a red and white ball of swirling energy fired.

"Engh!" A flash of black and gold leapt from the floor and the flat of a golden blade slammed into the unisoned boy.

The impact flung him deep into the side wall. "GuaCH!" They both gagged in pain on impact and fell to the floor. Akito canceled the unison and fainted into Soran's lap.

"Soran-kun, I'm sorry, but I had to do that to save you!" Fate spoke as the energy ball passed harmlessly through her.

"Kuso…." Soran grunted as he stood up. "That hit broke my cracked rib."

"Soran!"

"Soran-kun!"

"Don't give up, Soran-san!"

"We're all here with you!" The rest of the forwards had arrived, yelling words of encouragement at him.

Soran looked up at the Starfish, which was trying to find its prey. "I don't think Trinity Buster would make a dent in that thing. That leaves me with only one option. Everyone, I'm going to need your help! Kiryu, dagger." The left fang dislocated and he caught it with his right hand. The blade plunged into the mechanical arm, halfway between the shoulder and elbow. Ripping a section open, he reached inside and pulled out a golden cartridge with gearmark etchings and the number 8. "Nanoha-san, I need your bits. Caro, boost Tea as she uses her illusions. Subaru, Wing Road the entire building! Erio, you and Strada are going to give me a lift!" After placing Akito in the corner, out of harm's way, he dashed out to meet Erio as Subaru's wing road concealed their presence.

"_Excellion Mode." _Raising Heart spoke as her five bits appeared all around the enemy.

"Kerclyon." Caro crossed her hands. "Transfer my energy to Teana Lanster! BOOST UP!"

The magical circle beneath Tea's feet glowed pink as she squatted down, closing her eyes. "Illusion Clones… number five!" Five Sorans appeared riding atop Nanoha's bits. They started to move every which way.

"Everyone, keep it up! This will take a while to charge!" Soran stepped onto Strada and it cocked a cartridge, both he and Soran rose into the air. "I can't use my wings when I'm charging either, so thanks, Erio." The boy just nodded as he hung below. "Dark Trinity weapons, full limiter release! Maximum power!"

"_Gillium Form!_" All four said as they broke apart in midair. Barrage changed into a long golden red staff with a golden cylinder as a head, with air slats surrounding the barrel. Kiryu and Garyu surrounded the head with two bladed sides for wings. Rainbow jabbed itself into the staff and extended a stiff grip in two directions.

The Starfish gave up trying to determine which Soran was the real one, and began attacking indiscriminately with its eye beams. A stray shot pierced the Wing Road Soran was hiding under, and Strada dashed to a new location. "Whew. I don't think it saw us."

A dark red HUD Visor cast over Soran's eyes as he gripped his new weapon. "Hatch open." Barrage opened a slot in the staff and steam was released. He put the bullet in and shut the lid. "Load, Number 8."

"_Loading 8._" Barrage cocked the shot. Two black wings spread backwards from Kiryu and Garyu, covering the shooting barrel to halfway. Then they and the cylindrical portion of Barrage began to rotate.

Soran closed his eyes. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

An alert came on Rein's screen. "Eh?! This power reading… I've never seen it this high from Soran-kun before desu! What is he doing?!" Another alert. "Agh! The Type 4!" All four of its arms curled forward and stretched further than they normally did. They glowed bright red on the tips, and the center hatch opened, and it began focusing its energy into one point in the center of the glowing tips. "It's going to wipe out the entire field desu!"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The Gillium Form barrel rotated, its sweeping black wings becoming a blur as the rotation speed increased. "Pa…" Soran spit up some blood that trickled down the corner of his mouth. "gua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The type four sent a giant AMF shockwave throughout the building, and all of the other mages distractions disappeared. Erio and Strada fell to the ground, but Soran remained, hovering. With the view unobstructed, his visor locked onto the enemy. The air slats shone bright white in Barrage's barrel as the Type Four turned to bear its weapon down on Soran. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." Soran opened his eyes and stared down the creature, taking a hold of both grips. "Feel the wrath of the stars. PAGUA SUN FAIRE!"

The wings locked up and the four devices and Soran hurtled towards the opponent. Everyone in the room gasped as the world stood still. He dove through the center of the energy field and into the core. Suddenly he was outside of the core, on the ground, looking over his shoulder. The starfish began to fold in on itself as a small black ball, crackling with black and purple lightning, drew it in. Metal squeaked and squealed as the enemy's armor compacted, the black ball grew larger, swallowing it up completely. Then it began to shrink, pulsating violently as it did so. Then when it was no bigger than an atom, it exploded with a force so powerful that everyone but Soran was blown to the walls.

"_Program terminated._" The commandcom echoed through the building.

Soran fell to his knees and coughed, blood spilling onto the floor. "Damn it! To think I had to use number 8!" He flipped over and leaned back against the wall. His devices returned to standby form at his side.

"Soran-kun!" Subaru rushed him, and he suddenly found himself covered in kisses. "Thank God you're all right!"

The others came up to him at different speeds, Nanoha the fastest due to her long legs. "Soran-kun, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. Something went horribly wrong with the program."

"It's not your fault at all, Nanoha-san." He said as he wiped his bloody mouth off with his cuff. "Besides, I'm more concerned with why this happened."

Fate stopped in the middle of the gym and picked up a gold bullet casing with the number 8 on it. "This is…."

"Nanoha-chan." Hayate's system window opened. "All systems seem back to normal. All the lockouts and overrides have disappeared as well."

"It looks like it had self destruct codes." Shari called from her seat in front. "When Soran-kun destroyed the sprite, it destroyed the evidence too."

"So should I still shut down the power?" Vita's window appeared.

"Yes please. We should keep everything powered down just in case something remained that we need to clean out."

"You got it." Both of their screens blipped out, and the morphing field just became a flat panel floating on the water.

"So there's no evidence left at all then? Other than this broken rib that is." Soran hissed.

Fate walked up to the group and showed the casing to Soran. "What is this, Soran? Is that what you used?"

"It's a family heirloom. I'd like to have it back."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to look into this thing first." Fate closed her hand around it.

"That's going to take a while, considering everything that just happened." Soran took both Subaru's and Nanoha's shoulders and stood up with the help of both. "Someone just tried to kill me after all." All of the forwards bit their lips and shared looks of fear at each other.

"Soran-kun…." Nanoha was stunned at his blatant statement.

"And I'd bet money that whoever it is will try again."


	9. Chapter 9

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 9

"Here you go, Berkt-san. Your breakfast." The nurse came into his room, placing his food on the table and removing the lid. "It's your favorite."

"Mmm, sausage gravy over toasted biscuits. However it's kind of embarrassing that I've been here often enough that I actually HAVE a favorite." He sighed, fingering his bandage. "Thanks." He cut off a piece. "Ittadekimasu."

"HORA!" A flash of blue and white slammed Soran into the side wall. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" A female voice spoke. As Soran peeled off the wall and landed on the floor, he saw Subaru in his blurred upsidedown vision. "You didn't take this through the security checkpoint!"

"But I was just delivering his meal."

"Then you DEFINITELY should have gone through the checkpoint! Don't you know that Soran-kun's life has been threatened? Or maybe… you're trying to poison him!" She pinned the nurse against the wall. "What did you put in it? Cyanide? Arsenic?"

"I wouldn't do anything of the sort!"

"Sure you wouldn't. I bet you put in…."

"Extra pepper, just the way I like it." Without being noticed, Soran had climbed back into bed and was munching on the dish.

"Wh…" Subaru dropped the nurse. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Are you trying to kill yourself, Soran-kun?!"

"Su, will you relax already? You're way too uptight! Remember what happened to the janitor?"

"_This floor is too slippery! What if someone falls and breaks their neck?! Stop cleaning this instant!"_

"And then there was the thing in the arboretum."

"_Careful, that squirrel might have a bomb attached to it! Ah! A kamikaze bee, get down!"_

"And how can you forget the changing room?"

_Subaru slammed her fist into a mirror as soon as she saw her reflection as she walked passed. "I'll teach you to get the drop on my man!"_

"See what I mean?"

"Not really. What's your point?"

Soran slumped as he put a hand to his face. "You're taking this way beyond reason, Subaru. Security is doing their very best already. You don't have to be a safety Nazi just because someone tried to kill me. I am able to take care of myself, you know."

"But… you're my… I mean I wouldn't… I'm just so worried about you, Soran-kun!" Subaru sat down next to him. "I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you, especially now that we're together so often. I would hate myself for the rest of my life."

"But that doesn't mean you can go around accusing people and things of trying to kill me. Subaru, you need to let me be me. You can't surround me. Well… you can to a part of me, but I was thinking of waiting for a while for that."

"Surround… a part…." Subaru blinked, but she turned red and set off a steam detonation in her head soon after. "Surround… a part…. MOU! Soran, stop it!" She swung at him.

"I can't help it, Su! Your reactions are priceless!"

"You evil, evil boy!" She continued batting his arm with her fists.

"Hai!" Rein waved as she floated in on the couple. "Section 6 official food taster, reporting for duty desu!"

They both turned to her, still posed to swing and defend. "Food taster?"

"You, Rein-daichou?"

"Hai! I'm a unison sprite, so even though I eat, I still need maintenance from Shari-san desu. Since I don't eat that much, and I can't be hurt by poisons, I'm the perfect food taster for Soran-kun desu! Shari-san upgraded my tastebuds to analyze for dangers."

"But I don't want to be a burden on you, Commander." Soran looked away. "I'm going to feel guilty about making you do this."

"I volunteered, desu. So don't feel bad, Soran-kun. I want to help desu. We all want to help."

"Thank you, Reinforce-san." Soran bowed, wincing at the pressure on his bad rib.

"I may as well get to it then." Rein flew over to the biscuit, cut off a Rein-sized piece off, and ate it. She fell onto the bed and twitched.

"Rein-san!" Subaru gasped.

"What's wrong, Rein-san?! What is it?!" Soran gulped. "It couldn't have been…."

"No… no poison." Rein wobbled up. "It's just so very greasy. How can you eat that stuff desu?!"

Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate all stood in the science lab, examining the golden shell. "So you're thinking that this cartridge is what Soran-kun used for his last attack against the Type 4?" Hayate squinted at it.

"Exactly. I found it near the destruction point. Soran said it was a family heirloom." Fate put her cheek in her hand.

"A golden cartridge…." Nanoha stared at it. "I've never seen anything like it."

"It's not a cartridge. It's a casing." Fate drew up its schematics. "It looks like it housed a bullet as well."

"A bullet? Then… where is the slug?"

"Most likely that ball that destroyed the Type 4 was it. This is not a normal weapon. You know that used cartridges become inert, right?" The other two nodded. "Look at this casing's reading."

"17 pow?!" Hayate's jaw dropped as she read the screen.

Fate nodded. "And that's after it has used its bullet."

"If it's at 17 pow after discharge, then there's no telling just how much power was used to create that… whatever it was that Soran used. The sheer willpower he must have used to control it… this is a frightening weapon." Nanoha bit her thumb.

"Have you tried loading it into a device, Fate-chan?" Hayate asked.

"To be honest, I'm afraid to. Probably the only one that could handle it is one of the three of us, and we'd risk losing our precious devices if it backfired. We're dealing with too many unknown factors to deem it worth the risk. We need to learn more about this thing."

"And Soran-kun is pushing to get it back again. If it's that precious to him, it probably means it's from his late parents." Nanoha sighed, looking away.

"All the more reason we need to hurry and investigate this thing." Hayate shared a comforting hand on Nanoha's shoulder. "Let's go back to the attack itself, and see if we can find some clues." The video appeared, with Soran gripping his device with one hand.

"_Hold image, please."_ Raising Heart blinked on Nanoha's chest.

"Uh? Raising Heart, do you see something?"

"_Yes. Enhance the device, please."_ The video zoomed in on the staff. "_Barrage's cartridge system is reconfigured."_

"Reconfigured? Are you sure?"

"_Yes, my Master. Bardiche, please confirm."_

"_Confirmed."_ Fate's golden triangle blinked. "_Barrel is oversized. Additional coolant and directional units in place. This is not for cartridge use."_

"So this form of the Dark Trinity devices was made especially for this bullet."

"_They called themselves Gillium Form."_

"Gillium… what does that even mean?" Hayate scratched her head, then she raised it. "Shari." A terminal popped up next to her. "When working on Barrage Zwei and the others, did you encounter anything known as Gillium Form in the OS?"

"Gillium? No, I don't think so."

"Did you find anything unusual at all?"

"Aside from the fact that Soran-kun makes really crappy documentation, no."

"Would there be any way to hide a mode so you wouldn't notice it?"

"Well I suppose the only way would be to hide it in the permanent firmware in pieces. Pretty much only Soran's devices could do it, because that's a limited amount of space."

"Thank you, Shari." She closed the window and furrowed her brow. "Soran knows full well the power of that bullet, and the dangers it poses."

"Then what we're basically looking at here is Soran-kun's trump card." Nanoha sighed. "He must have been really desperate to use it. He didn't even try Trinity Buster first."

"From what we saw, it wouldn't have worked anyway." Fate resumed playback.

"What's that chant thing he's doing? Is that a concentration mantra or an incantation?"

"I can't even hear what he's saying. Fate-chan, turn it up."

She did, and the chant kept going for a long time. "It sounds like 'pagua sunfa,' whatever that means."

In the secured lab, the golden casing vibrated and began glowing. An alert came up on the screens. "What?!" Fate turned to the alarm. "The remaining magic is becoming active! Activating AMF suppression field!" A wave shimmered over the shell. "Nothing?! Damn it, what's causing this?!"

Past the alarms, Nanoha continued hearing Soran's voice on the recording. "Ah! Stop the video, it's the chanting!"

Fate hurriedly cut the feed. The shell slowly returned to normal status. "Whew. That did it. But I'm going to keep the security field up just in case." She stood up and joined the others at the observation window. "We're dealing with something that's way over our heads this time, girls."

"It's clean, desu!" Rein finished her tiny little plate as Soran and the other forwards sat around the lunch table.

"Thank you, Commander." Soran twirled a forkful of pasta and shoved it in his mouth. "So whose turn is it to do the random topic?"

"Actually, I think it's yours." Tea pointed at him with her chopstick before she dove into her ginger salad.

"Me? Oh boy… well…. Ah! I got it! If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, and you had your choice of one food to eat for the entire day the day before, what would it be?"

"Wow, that's a tough one!"

"I'll have to think about that."

"Give me a minute."

"Ergh… one food? Wow…."

"Um, can I be included in this too desu?"

"Sure, Commander. You're at the table after all." Soran answered.

"If I knew I was going to die tomorrow, I would probably pig out on silver dollar pancakes desu!"

"Good choice."

"They're just your size too."

"Okay, I've got mine." Subaru grinned. "The food I'd want to pig out on before I die…."

"HOT DOGS!" Everyone yelled at once.

"Next please." Soran waved it off.

"Ooooohhh!" Subaru pouted as she slathered one with relish and shoved it down.

"You two think too small." Tea shook her head. "Me, I'd be cracking open snow and king crab legs from sunup to sundown."

"I like your thinking."

"I think I'd want to join you, Teana-san." Caro agreed.

"But which one? Snow crab or King crab? I said one food. That's two."

"Oh don't make me choose, please?!"

"No! For your insolence you will be executed on the spot! Guards, take her away!" Soran acted like some foreign big shot commander, drawing a laugh from everyone.

"What about yours, Soran?" Tea asked.

"Well I can tell you what I WOULDN'T eat. Su's cooking."

"Hey!"

"That stuff is unsafe for human consumption in the first place."

"Tea!"

"I'll get back to you on my real choice later."

"Stop ignoring me!"

"So Erio, how about you?"

"Mmm…" He was caught in a dreamland state. "Yeah… Caro…." Everyone's eyes went wide, and even the poor girl's hair turned red. He returned from the stares. "…'s cooking. It doesn't matter what she makes, I'd eat it happily."

"E-Erio-kun." Caro still continued to blush.

"God, you had me going there!" Teana took a fresh breath.

"I was worried I'd have to get a pitcher and douse you." Subaru agreed.

"Although that did give me an idea for my final food." Soran put his finger into the air. "Subaru."

"Yes?"

"No, that's my answer. Just Subaru." The entire table fell silent. The only sound was the bluenette dropping her fork on the plate. Her head exploded and she fell backwards onto the floor. Soran peered over the table. "You're way too easy, Su." The others sprawled out on the table in groans. "What?"

In the Interdimensional Worlds Library, a blonde young man with a long ponytail looked up from the book he'd been reading. A transmission terminal had popped up. "Interdimensional Library."

"Good morning, Yuuno-kun. I trust you're well."

"Oh, Fate-chan, good morning, well, afternoon for you, I believe. What's the occasion?"

"We need your help again. I'm sorry for always troubling you with our problems, Yuuno-kun."

"Don't worry about it. This is my job, and you know me. I'm always glad to help my old comrades."

"Thank you. I'm sending you the data that we've collected on the subject." A video of Soran's attack appeared, along with data pertaining to the shell. "We've learned basically nothing other than that its remaining magic is rated 17 pow, and it reacts to a sort of incantation chant to go active."

Yuuno squinted at the video, cleaned off his glasses, and replayed it again. "I think I've seen something like this before. Arf!" He called to the little red-haired fox-eared girl on the sofa, resting peacefully. "Hey Arf! Wake up you stupid fox!"

A vein bulged on her forehead. "Who are you calling stupid, you fucking ferret?!" She snarled as she stood up.

"Now that you're up, could you fetch me 'Astronomical Phenomena for Military Use'? It's in the TSAB Project section."

"I'm not your damn dog. Get it yourself." She huffed and laid back down.

"It's for Fate-chan." He grinned.

The girl's ears perked up, and she was instantly at his side with the book. "Fate-chan! I've missed you! You should call more often!"

"Hello Arf-san. Are you faring well? I certainly hope I'm supplying enough magic for you."

"I'm doing great. Are you brushing your teeth every night? Make sure you clean down there really well. We don't want it to get infected."

"Arf… I'm a grown woman now, please stop doting on me like that." Fate sweatdropped, blushing slightly.

"Right. Sorry, sorry." She scratched the back of her ear.

"I thought so." Yuuno closed the book. "Fate-chan, I think I've got it. Although I've never seen one in a cartridge form, it looks like we're dealing with a quantum weapon. Singularity based."

"Singu… AH!" Fate gasped. "You can't mean that!"

"Ah. Singularity-based weaponry was deemed extremely unstable and dangerous, and was outlawed illegal by the TSAB. One planet dissented, continued their research, and declared their independence."

"Dimension 15242, Perseus." Fate looked away. "To think that this would lead us back to there."

"It was TSAB's greatest military blunder, Operation Bushfire." His mind returned to that time, when a rainsoaked and devastated Nanoha had come to his door, and cried all her tears out as he tried to comfort her. "Why is it that we have to reminisce about this, Fate-chan?" Yuuno wiped off a tear.

"Most likely… Soran is a survivor of Operation Bushfire." Fate gritted her teeth.

Yuuno's eyes went wide. "Fate, don't tell her. Whatever you do, do NOT tell her! She'll figure it out on her own eventually, but she needs to take it at her own pace."

"Unh. He also can use singularity weapons successfully."

"That's a very valuable resource. There are no remaining research materials on Persean singularity weapons. It must have been passed down to him by word of mouth teaching."

"So you don't know of where I could find out more?"

Yuuno shrugged. "There might be a few people left on Perseus who know about it. If you plan to go down there, leave your uniform. Peace may have been settled, but they still don't take kindly to TSAB snooping around. You'll have to rely on your own feminine charms to coax out any information, I'm afraid."

"Well, if it's Fate-chan, then there's no problem!" Arf winked.

"Yes, you're right. Ginga will be perfect for the job. Thank you both. Goodbye." The window shut down.

"GINGA?!" Arf balled her fist. "Why didn't you re-encourage her?! You know she lacks self-confidence!"

"Me?! Why didn't you say it?"

"I'm her familiar! I'm SUPPOSED to say it! Stupid ferret that can't even tell when a woman needs a compliment. That's why you never got Nanoha."

"Oh don't drag Nanoha-chan into this, you fur-licking hairball-coughing loli-fox!"

"Why I oughtta…! Chain Bind!"

"Struggle Bind!"

"Subaru!" A young woman with long blue hair tied with a black bandana rushed up to the girl.

"Eh? Gin-nee?!" Subaru turned around and caught her in a hug. "What are you doing here, Gin-nee? I thought you were at the Correction Facility."

"I was, but Fate-san pulled me out for a temporary assignment. I can't say no to the investigation bureau. More importantly, what about you? I hear you've been rather busy lately." She elbowed her little sister.

Subaru blushed. "Heh… yeah well, he's… hey, where is he?" She looked around, and saw Teana in the hall. "Tea! Tea, where's Soran?"

"Uh? Oh! Ginga-san, it's been a while!" She waved as she turned to them. "Actually, Subaru, I think he was called up to Commander Yagami's office."

"Um…" Ginga scratched her cheek. "Would this be a good time to mention that Dad's here too?"

"Daddy?!" Subaru's eyes went wide, and she looked up the elevator. "Gulp."

"Commander Yagami, Second Lieutenant Soran Berkt reporting as ordered, ma'am!" He saluted and took in the situation, as she and an older gentleman in uniform were having tea. "Oh, I apologize. I'll return at a better time. Forgive my disturbance." He bowed and turned around.

"Oh there's no disturbance, Berkt-chuui. Please, come in." Hayate waved him in. "General, this is the boy I was referring to."

"Forgive my intrusion." Soran bowed as he sat down, wincing slightly.

"Is your rib still giving you problems, Soran?"

"I will be at full health soon ma'am. I apologize for being an inconvenience. I should have dodged the attack more efficiently."

Hayate giggled. "You can drop the formalities already, Soran-kun. Teatime is for tea, not military protocol."

"Yes ma'am."

The older man studied Soran intently. "So, young man, from what Hayate tells me, you're quite the piece of work! An S+ Rank mage at your age is rare to see."

"I suppose so, sir." Soran blinked at him.

"She also tells me you've got quite the little trick up your sleeve, or should I say in it? Would you mind explaining that attack to me, Soran-san?"

Soran sighed through his nose and turned to give Hayate a slightly disappointed look before turning back. "I'm sorry sir, but I can't do that. It's a family tradition that I would rather keep personal. If I had my way, I would also have back the shell I used, however I understand why the Commander and yourself would be interested in it."

"That's a shame, son. That's a real shame. But I can get it too. My daughters have some stuff they'd rather not share too. I could order Hayate to give you back the shell if you want."

"Oh, no sir! I couldn't possibly ask that of you, General…. I'm sorry, but until today I don't think we've ever met."

"General Nakajima is my mentor, and was the main sponsor for the creation of Section 6, Soran-kun." Hayate piped up.

"I see. Thank you for your offer, General Nakajima, however I cannot ac… wait, Nakajima? Sir, you wouldn't happen to be related to the Nakajima stationed at this facility would you?"

"Oh, if you're referring to that girl you're dating, she's my daughter."

"EEHH?!" Soran stood up, falling backwards a few steps.

Both senior members at the table laughed. "Gomen, Soran-kun, but we had to see how you'd react."

"Yes, we've got a lot of stuff to discuss, son. Well, potential future son. So please, sit down."

Soran's neck tensed up. "Gulp."

"Ah, forget being murdered, I thought I was going to just keel over right there." Soran trudged outside, with Rein floating next to him. "I wasn't prepared for that, seriously!"

"It's probably punishment for using that attack desu. Last time I checked, singularity weapons were banned, desu."

"Why do you think I have it as a last resort? Man, I never should have pushed it that far!" Soran sighed. "Rein-san, is the morphing field online?"

"Hai desu."

"I'm gonna let off some steam. If anyone asks, that's where I'll be."

"Hai desu." She flew back to the building.

As he flopped his towel over his shoulder he looked up, and saw flashes of light coming from the field. "Someone's using it? Well a little entertainment couldn't hurt. Wonder who's duking it out." He got closer and was able to make out a painted scrawl in the air. "Wing Road?!" He hurried forward.

Clashing in the sky the two Nakajima sisters went toe to toe and knuckle to knuckle, trading roads every so often, each knowing exactly what the other would do. Soran watched from below as they met a stalemate. "You ready to finish this Subaru?"

"Always, Gin-nee. Always." They tilted to the side and fell off the road. Their target changed to the teen below them.

Soran grinned as dust rose in the impact zone. "Hello ladies." He said as he held a roller blade from each in his grip.

"_Hello Soran."_ Both Calibers spoke as he tossed them to opposite sides.

"Oh, and hello to you biological females too." Soran smirked.

They both flipped over and landed on their skates. They circled him faster and faster. Both spoke at once in a chant. "Though you may think you're best, tradition states we must give a test. Though you might not die from this, can you tell who has the angel's kiss?" At a blinding speed, one simple sweet kiss and one long sensual one was placed on his lips. The girls ground to a halt in front of him. "So, who's was which?"

Soran smacked his lips. "That was a very angelic kiss, Ginga, but I think I'll take my little devil any time." He went up to Subaru and gave her a short peck on the lips.

She responded with a long lip-mash. "We fooled you. Your little devil was the long one this time."

"GAH FOILED AGAIN!" He acted defeated before straightening. "Good to see you again, Ginga."

"We were wondering when you were going to show up, Soran." Ginga crossed her arms as her Caliber returned to pendant form. "I need to borrow you for a minute."

"Geez, first the father, and now the sister. Can't a guy get a little rest around here?" Soran shrugged and joined her in step. "How are things at the Correction Facility? Are they behaving themselves?"

Ginga sighed. "I'm afraid what it's going to look like when I get back. That Scaglietti taught those girls some really WEIRD stuff!"

"When you get back? What do you mean?"

"I've been called back to do some investigative work. It's only temporary, but I don't know how long it will be for."

"I see. Well if it's you, then it should be done fairly quickly, right?"

"It could go a hell of a lot quicker still." She ran in front of him and turned around. "Soran, I'm not even supposed to say this, but the target of the investigation is you."

Soran blinked and looked away. "I see. I'm sorry then, because it's my fault that you're being pulled from your job."

"Soran, if you're going to tell someone about your trump card, now's the time to say it. That will appease the higher ups."

"I can't do that Ginga." He sighed and looked into the sky. The sun was starting to set. "Some things are better left private."

"If I have to dig, it won't be private for long, you know that. You know why I'm here. I care deeply about Subaru and I know you do too. I'm just worried and a little scared."

"I still can't tell you, Gin." He checked his watch. "It's getting late, and I promised to take Subaru to dinner tonight." He turned around and started to head back to where she was waiting.

"Soran." Ginga looked away, and he stopped. "If I dig, what am I going to find? I won't like it, will I?"

Soran paused. "No. But then again, no one likes tragedy unless it's in the theater. What will you find? Pain." He started walking.

"Soran wait!" She reached out her hand, but he had just barely moved out of her reach. "I hope you'll forgive me. And that you won't hate Subaru for what I have to do."

He balled his fist and turned around. He tromped up to her and clonked her on the forehead. "Baka. There's no way I could hate either of you."


	10. Chapter 10

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 10

A female figure entered the dusty village, wearing a light purple hooded overcoat to buffet the sand and wind. Looking around, she couldn't believe this one horse town could have anything that she was looking for.

Soran sat on his bed in his dorm room, his fingers intertwined into a fist. "Kuso!" He hissed.

"I'm sorry there's nothing more I can do, Soran." Mustang was on the viewer in his watch. "Our mine has run dry, and most of the other pieces have already been claimed. I've tried to pull one more favor, but it may take quite a while."

"You've done your best. Thank you, Father." The transmission was cut. "GOD DAMN IT!" He tossed the watch into the wall.

The purple-clad figure entered a general store, looking around. On a day like today, no one was there. There was a wrinkly old man at the table, reading a book, playing with his moustache. "I hear you supply information as well as items to people."

"I might… if I like you. And there are very few strangers that I like! Especially ones that keep their hoods up indoors!"

"I'm sure you could make an exception for me." She removed the hood and shook her long blue hair out, giving him her largest smile.

"Oh, we could do business." The old salt admired her. "For the right price. What are you looking for Miss…."

"Ingit. Call me Ingit." Ginga put the golden cylinder on his table. "What can you tell me about this?"

He pulled out a jeweler's monocle and put it into his eye. "Let's have a looksee." He frowned after inspecting the shell. "Beautiful women shouldn't have these kinds of things."

"So then you do know what it is?"

"Indeed I do, this is a number 8 Caster shell."

"Caster?"

The man's eyes went wide. "You mean you don't know what this is?! You didn't shoot it off, did you?!"

"No, it was already discharged when I found it."

The man leaned on the table. "Now listen here, gorgeous, this is not a weapon that you can go around being ignorant about. I'm going to tell you this for free just because I don't want to see your pretty face plastered all over the obituaries. This is a Caster shell. As you probably have already figured, if it hasn't been discharged, it has a bullet along with it. Within that bullet is a power not seen by any dimension before except one. You should never use it."

"What's so special about some projectile weaponry? It can kill a person or two, and that's it."

"Or an entire dimension." The old man corrected her. "Casters are marked numerically, from zero to nine. A number 9 has the power to destroy an entire dimension, and once, it did."

Ingit blinked. "I'm somehow not convinced of that story."

The geezer sighed. "I guess I'm going to have to tell you the whole thing. About 20 years ago, something tore through the interdimensional barrier and impacted the planet, destroying the ecosystem in the general area. It was a chunk from another world. We had never seen such a phenomena before, and scientists from everywhere came to investigate. They found no signs that life had ever existed on the planet before, except these shells. Archeologists kept digging, until they found out that there were only ten types of shells. We, as a planet, had been investigating singularity weaponry for a while, and we discovered that the bullets either had a black hole in them, or created one when fired."

"A black hole? That's impossible."

"We thought so too, until one was fired. A type 0 destroyed an entire island in one blow, although you're probably too young to remember it. All of the early experiments failed. Every time a shell was tested, someone died. Then five years later, a mage appeared that claimed that he could master the Caster system. His research was an overwhelming success. He also gave us the theory of how the Casters came to exist in the first place. He said that most likely, an uncontrolled type 9 shell consumed the universe, and combined it into solidified matter. Eventually it was dense enough that sections tore through the barrier between universes and landed in other dimensions. Most likely they were like us, trying to use a power they couldn't control, most likely created by an ancient extinct race. He also forbade us from ever using a type 9."

"Wait, if a type 9 could destroy a universe, then does that mean this type 8 could have destroyed the planet?!"

"Heheheh. Girly, I don't think you quite understand it. All Caster shells have the power to destroy the universe. Stay right there, I'll be back." The man shut the windows and locked the doors, arming laser security defenses, and then unlocking his safe. Putting the little felt box on the table in front of her, he opened it. "This is a type 9." Ingit's eyes went wide. "It's okay, it's okay, it's inert. If this bullet were defective anywhere, and didn't have the proper delivery system, everyone would be sucked into oblivion. The same can be said for all of them, the unbridled energy able to devastate the universe."

"Then if all of them have the same raw power, then why are they numbered differently?"

"Because each has their own special function, which the professor classified. Your number 8 is a rare find that can target a single point. However the type 9 is rather common in comparison."

"What?!"

"That's because it's forbidden for use. Not only that but it's very difficult to use. 2, 7, 9. It's the sequence to use a number 9 shell. If you load it alone or out of order, the Caster will lock up and refuse to fire. So this number 9 is completely safe unless I load and shoot the others first, and they are both very rare."

"Good." Ingit sighed. "I was worried that anyone could destroy the world with one of those."

"Not at all." He put the bullet away. "But against the wise professor's wishes, someone tested a number 9. I'm sure you know what happened."

She nodded. "The second moon was destroyed completely. When the Persean government asked the Dimensional Feds for assistance, they banned singularity weaponry."

"We were so close to mastering the Caster system. We couldn't let research just be cut, so we went to war. I'm afraid that's really all I can tell you about Casters."

"You've told me plenty. By the way, what are the functions of all ten Casters? I mean, you just told me what number 8 does, and an uncontrolled number 9 can destroy the universe, but what about its true function?"

"That I can't tell you. If the professor was still alive, he'd be willing to share. He was always the sucker for pretty women, even though he was married to a gorgeous one himself."

"What happened to him?"

"Swept away in one of the Feddy raids. When war broke out, he quit the science, saying he wouldn't work to further weapons to be used in war against other humans. He lived as a civilian, and died as one."

"I see. That's a real shame, such a brilliant mind taken before his time. What was his name?"

"Professor Starwind. He and his entire family was wiped out. I don't think you'll find much on him nowadays."

"Well, perhaps I'll pay my respects to him someday." She turned back to him. "If someone were interested in purchasing Casters, how would they go about doing it?"

"I told you that's not something beautiful women should play with."

"And if I'm representing someone else far less beautiful that likes to collect things?" Ginga smiled sweetly.

"Then that would be a different story. What is this buyer looking for?"

"Well a full set would be the most ideal, really."

"Egh… that's next to impossible. Type 1 and type 3 are virtually dinosaurs. No one's dug them up in years."

"At the very least, type 2, 7, 8, and 9." The shopkeep opened his mouth to protest. "Don't worry, this is for sheer collecting purposes. I'll make sure that the buyer keeps those bullets separate."

"Eh, you had me going there, Missy. Too bad I don't sell them." He pressed a button under his table and the entire building was sealed up tight by titanium shielding. "Officially that is. I've got a person who mines the shells from the impact crater. Recently his stash has been going dry though. I have no guarantees if he'll find what you want or not. And it's going to be expensive, very expensive."

"My client's budget can handle whatever you throw at it, though please keep in mind that I am the one that makes the final purchase decision, so please be nice." She winked.

"Always, my dear, always. Also, I should warn you that you have a bit of competition. Another buyer is interested in a full set, and he did come here first, so I'm obliged to fill his order first."

"Another buyer? You wouldn't happen to know his name, would you?"

The dealer shook his head. "I've never seen him before. He was wearing one of those city slicker suits, looked pretty important."

The girl paced the small room as she thought. She placed a card in front of him. "When you get the shipment in, or as best as you can complete it, please give me and this other buyer a call. I'm sure that if we meet, we can come to a compromise. At the very least, we'll have a bidding war, which would be in your best interest. Is that acceptable?"

"Of course. I'll do just that. It might take a while, I'm just warning you."

"I understand. My client is very patient. I'll take my leave now." She bowed.

Meanwhile, back at Section 6 HQ. "Teeyah!" Zaphila came down on Soran with a punch from the air. Soran raised his cybernetic hand and caught the huge fist. But before he could think of an attack to use against him, Zaphila's swift kick sent him flying to the mats. "What's wrong, kid? You're better than this."

"I'm just pissed off today." Soran stood up, wiping his chin. "That's why I wanted to spar with you, sub-commander. Nothing gets the malice out of your system than a good fistfight, right?"

"Well I suppose that's right in some cases." The burly wolf-man sat down Indian style on the mat. "But violence is never the first answer. Sit down, kid. You've not talked with anyone yet since they're all out today, right?"

Soran blinked, surprised at his change in demeanor. "Well, yeah." He sat in front of him.

"What's got your goat?"

"I'm just angry, I guess. At a lot of things. It started after that thing with the type four."

"You're mad at the person that tried to kill you then."

"Well who wouldn't be? But it's more I'm angry at myself for being bested by that thing. Not even Unison with Akito worked against it. Here I thought I was making all this progress, and in the end I get whipped around like a long noodle."

"Soran, there's something that you're misunderstanding. You are getting stronger, I've seen it myself. But there will always be someone out there who is stronger. Always. Just because you were thrashed by a new opponent doesn't mean that you haven't made progress, it's just that it's higher than your current level."

"You think?"

"I know. Remember at the beginning of your training, it was just Signum and Vita taking turns against you. Now it takes all three of us going full bore at you at once to wear you down. Also your flow from one attack to the next has improved. Your control of the three elementals has become easier, hasn't it?"

"Well, yeah…. I guess you're right."

"So you're not weak in the slightest. So stop acting like you don't deserve the feathers on your back."

"Yes, sir."

"Now what about the rest? You said there were more things making you mad, right?"

"I used my trump card in front of everyone." Soran squeezed his kneecap. "I never wanted anyone to know about it. I didn't even want to use it, but it was the only way."

"You might find it rude of me, but what's the big deal? Everyone knows about Nanoha's and Fate's trump cards. Just because Section 6 knows about your trump doesn't mean a thing."

"It means it to me! That technique… was taught to me by my father, something I never wanted to share with anyone. It's mine and mine alone. I shouldn't have to share it!"

"Mmm."

"I know it was extremely powerful, but if I hadn't used it, then I would have died there! That shouldn't be a reason to force me to spill my guts about it! Now the Investigation Bureau is going treasure hunting in my past, and it fucking pisses me off! It's my life! I have the right to refuse to answer questioning based on personal reasons! Why does that give them the right to dig it up regardless?!"

"Okay, cool it down kid. Sit down."

Soran blinked. He hadn't noticed that he had gotten up during his rant. "Sorry."

"I understand how you feel. The past is something that you've lived and it is your own, no one else's. There's a lot I've done that I'm not proud of, as have all of the subcommanders. The curse of the Wolkenritter saw to that. I suppose that if the Bureau looked into everything in my past I'd be beyond pissed, considering it spans hundreds of years."

"Then how would you be able to stand it?"

"Ever since I was released from the curse of the Wolkenritter, and the dark book had been destroyed, I've sworn the rest of my days to Master Hayate. I haven't forgotten my sins, but I've become a new man. You're different than what your past might show, right? Everyone here knows that. Hayate and Fate know that, and Nanoha accepts everyone even if they're pure evil." Soran smirked at that. "But at some point you have to say that it's okay for people to look. You're eventually going to let Subaru in, aren't you?"

"That…" He was surprised, but then he looked away, ashamed. "I hadn't thought of that at all."

"Unfortunate, considering she opened up everything to you already. She didn't even reveal she was a cyborg to Section 6 personnel until she was beaten and broken from battle. Imagine how her teammates felt, who had trained with her the entire time. Everyone's different, but you might want to figure out when to let her in. That will also be the day you'll be okay with letting everyone see."

"Zaphila…. You're strong, and I mean more than just physically."

"Yeah well…" He shrugged and his fuzzy ears twitched. "Shall we get to sparring again? This time make sure I don't get a shot in." He stood up and set up a martial arts stance.

"Unh. It's about time we got serious." The boy leapt backwards from his sitting position with a smile.

"And for the record, I'm glad you used that attack, Soran. Sparring with the other women is way too difficult. I'm always worried I'll hit them in the wrong spot."

"Heh. Iguzo!" Soran charged.

A woman with long golden hair stood on the edge of a huge crater. She looked down into its depths and sighed. "Why did such a thing have to happen?"

"It didn't. That's why it's called a blunder." Ginga walked up to her from behind, taking her cloak off.

"Welcome back. How'd it go?"

"I learned more than I thought I would. It seems that these shells are Lost Logia from a dimension that was destroyed by the ninth shell. It was the same thing that destroyed the second moon in this dimension." They looked up into the sky, able to see the asteroid belt created by the debris.

"Children playing with a box of grenades…." Fate shook her head. "That's all we really are. Do you have anything else?"

"Yes. Ever heard the name Starwind? He was apparently the foremost expert on Casters. He died in the war though."

"Yuuno might have something on him."

"I put in an order for a few Casters for us to study. I also ordered another type 8. I feel bad that Soran had to waste it on a computer program. But there was someone that came before me that asked for the same."

Fate bit her thumb. "Then someone else knows about these weapons. We need to be careful. It could be the same person that tried to kill Soran."

"I was thinking the same. Fate-san, if I may, why did you set this place for our rendezvous?"

Fate sighed, leaning down and picking up a bit of the dust. She let it go in the breeze. "In this spot, Nanoha went up against a singularity weapon user. Her opponent was just a young boy, no bigger than Erio is now, but he threw his life away in an attempt to destroy her. I now realize just how close I came to losing Nanoha-chan that day." She opened up her hand and showed Ginga the golden shell in her hand.

"AH! That's a…!"

"Shell 9." She clenched her fist around it. "And it's been fired once."

Ginga turned to the crater, trembling. "This is the aftermath of a type 9 Caster…."

"SORAN!" Subaru raced into the cafeteria. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"There you are, Su! I was worried you guys wouldn't be coming back."

"Are you crazy or something? Didn't you get my messages?!"

"What messag…." He looked at his watch, which was blinking SYSTEM DOWN. "Crap, it must've broke when it hit the wall."

"Urgh!" Subaru snarled as she yanked him out of his seat. "Barrage, set up this idiot. We're taking the skies."

"…"

"NOW!"

"_Setup Initialization. Get Ready._"

Soran shook out of Subaru's grip. "Barrage Zwei. SET UP!" His jacket was on him in seconds. Subaru was already riding her Wing Road by the time he launched to catch up with her. "Just what is going on Su? Why are you mad?"

"You don't even have a present, do you?!"

"What? Present? What present? For who?"

"RRGH!" Subaru slapped her face hard. "Soran, why do you think we all left today? We were all doing shopping! Today's Nanoha-san's birthday! The big two zero!"

Realization washed across his face. "Oh crap."

"And we're already late, so we can't swing by anywhere to get a present."

"I'm really sorry, Su. I had no idea. I accidentally broke my watch this morning, so I didn't get anything."

"Apologize to Nanoha-san, not me. Just be grateful that I made it in time to grab you. We'll make it in the middle of cake."

"Oh no we won't." Soran put a magical circle under his feet, and his artemis wings glowed white. "Subaru, you've got it too, don't you? Nanoha-san told Shari-san to give me a bit of a mobility upgrade. ACS Mode!"

"_Okay boss!_" Barrage spoke, and in a burst of speed, he was suddenly ahead of her.

"_ACS Mode._" Mach Caliber spoke.

"WOAH!" Subaru caught up without expecting to. "You are really reckless, you know that?! Going ACS Mode in a non-combat situation."

"Well, if I don't hurry it up, it'll be a combat situation." Soran shrugged. "Race you there!"

"Enjoy the second place podium!"

"TooryeaH!"

"SokoKA?!" Two bright red flashes of light rained down on Nanoha's deck party, both landing squarely in the pool. Steam and splash rose from it, stunning everyone.

As everyone waited for something to happen, Soran was the first to climb out of the pool. "Well…" He stumbled back and forth. "I think I might have… have overdone it there. Is this the Takamachi residence, or did the post office send me to… to somewhere else?"

"Egh!" Vivio hurled a soda can at his forehead.

"Oh good. This is the place." He said dizzily as he fell back into the pool.

Subaru was having difficulty climbing up with Mach Caliber still on her feet. "Um…" Hayate spoke. "Could someone fish them out, please?"

"We don't have a pool skimmer big enough." Tea quipped.

"Fine, I'll get them." Vita extended Graf Eisen's handle over the pool and yanked Soran out by his cape. Signum caught him and tried rousing him to consciousness.

Vita plunged her arm into the water and managed to get a hold of Subaru's headband. She coughed as she was brought out. "Thanks, Vita-budaichou. I thought I was a gonner."

"It looks like we got dinner AND a show." Ginga commented as she walked out onto the deck.

"Indeed." Fate came up next to her. "Subaru, thank you. We couldn't afford a clown, so we're glad you brought us one."

"If they're real, then why are they so huge?" Soran muttered, still not completely to consciousness. Then he was assured that he wouldn't be, as Signum, Shamal, Hayate, Fate, and Tea all added lumps to his skull to match the one Vivio gave him.

Soran, with a giant ice pack on his head, sat on the second floor deck, looking out into the night sky. He sipped a soda and sighed. "Hey little bro." Ginga sat down next to him. "Brought you some cake."

"I'm not really that into sweets. Thanks anyway."

"You're into Subaru, aren't you? If you can take her sweetness, you can handle this. Come on, try it at least. It's good."

"Okay, okay." He took the plate and shoved a forkful in his mouth. "Mmh. Not bad."

"Told you." She waited for him to swallow before saying anything more. "How come you're up here?"

"Well if I said my head was hurting it wouldn't be a lie." He shifted the ice pack. "But it's more that I don't really feel in place there right now. Vivio is still trying to kill me. A few months ago, I hated TSAB and Nanoha-san. Add to that that I don't have a present to give to her…. I just am worried I'd ruin the party."

"Soran." This time it was Ginga's turn to clonk him on the head. "Baka. You're not dragging anyone down here. You're a part of Nanoha's special group of friends. Don't think for a minute that you don't belong. Now come on, Left Arm Arm Wrestling is coming up, and I hear a trophy calling your name."

"Hmm." Soran smiled. "Hey Gin? What should I do about the present? Should I just get her one tomorrow or what?"

"You already have her present, Soran." He turned to her, wondering what she was talking about. "Just forgive her."

"Huh?"

"Trust me. I guarantee that if you tell her you forgive her, it will be the best present she'll receive all night."

"Okay… I don't really get it though."

"You don't have to. Now come on, before Vita clenches the title."

"ERGH!"

"HUNGH!" Vita and Soran were going at it, wrestling with their left arms in the finals.

"What's the matter, Vita-san?" A bead of sweat rolled down Soran's nose. "I thought you would have at least been able to budge me by now."

"Please, if you weren't throwing all your weight against this one, I'd be creaming you right now." Vita ground her teeth.

"Then why is it you have your leg braced against the table?"

"You should talk!"

Rein floated above them as judge, but she took a huge yawn. "It looks like they'll be doing this for a while desu."

"What's your wrist strength, brat?"

"Two metric tons. You?"

"Same."

"Let me… put it this way." Soran panted. "You're up against a metal arm. There's no way this will break, while your bones can. I'd like to avoid that, so I suggest a truce. We split the prize."

"What's the prize? Hey, Fate. What's the prize for this?" Vita yelled as she cringed.

"Um… a stuffed animal and restaurant gift card."

"I call the stuffed animal." Vita said quickly.

"Then the gift card is mine." Soran nodded. "Truce?"

"Truce." They stuck their other hands out and shook. Both let go, gasping and grunting in relief.

"For the record, Vita-san, I'm going to ask for a rematch someday, and I'm going to beat you." Soran panted, wiping the sweat off his face.

"I'll wait with bated breath, brat." She sneered as she rubbed a towel across her face.

Soran had stood there, his back against the wall as he watched Nanoha open her presents. He didn't really see what she got, or even hear her reactions. He just stood there, letting out a big sigh. Looking down, he saw a red and green eye looking up at him and he reeled, expecting the girl to attack him. "Vivio's mommies say I shouldn't call you Mr. Meanie anymore, since Nanoha-mama's leg is all better."

"You can go ahead and call me Mr. Meanie, Vivio. In the end that's what I am, a meanie. I didn't get your mama a present, after all."

"Mr. Meanie feels bad?"

"Ah." He looked away from her and the party.

"Fate-mama says that if you feel bad and say you're sorry, it'll be okay. Maybe not right away, but sometime."

"'It'll be okay sometime' huh?" He sighed and patted Vivio on the head. "Thanks, Vivio."

"Unh!" She ran back to her mother's lap.

Nanoha looked up, and Soran climbed up the stairs to head to the terrace, looking her in the eye before continuing up. Nanoha blinked. "Excuse me for a moment, everyone." She got up and went after him. She found him standing on the terrace, looking up at the stars. "You've been really quiet tonight, Soran." She closed the glass door and locked it. "Do you not like parties?"

"Sorry, I'm not trying to spoil the mood. It's your birthday, and the last thing I want is for me to bring you down. I'm just… well I'm sorry that I don't have an actual gift to give you, Nanoha-san." He slumped on the railing.

"Subaru told me about your watch. I can't blame you for something like that. I just want you to have fun, Soran-kun."

"I know. Really I do… it's just… it's really difficult for me to say, okay?"

"Say? Say what?" He turned back to the rail and spoke three words in what would barely be considered a whisper. Nanoha's eyes went wide. "I… I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"I forgive you."

"F-forgive me… for what?" She trembled, trying to keep a smile on her face.

"You know what. I just need to say it."

Her legs gave out underneath her, and she went to her knees, shivering. "Soran, please say it just once more."

"I… I forgive you." He turned to face her.

"Ah!" She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face.

"Oi! Why are you crying?! Oh crap, I said something really wrong there, didn't I? Nanoha-san!"

"Soran… for five years I've been begging for it. For five whole years it's been haunting me, teasing me. You have no idea how happy you've just made me, Soran-kun! To finally, finally be forgiven for what I did, even if it's just by one person!" She fell forward, wrapping her arms around him, both collapsing to the floor. "Thank you! Thank you Soran! Thank you! Ahhhahahaaaaa!" She cried into his chest, as some of her closest friends watched her from beyond the glass.

Fate explained it to the others in the room who didn't understand completely. "Nanoha-chan has been haunted by Operation Bushfire ever since it occurred. Though we forgave her many times, she had always wanted to hear it from a victim, a survivor. Soran just gave her a gift that outclasses all of ours put together; freedom."


	11. Chapter 11

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 11

"Okay, here's one." Soran polished off a piece of chicken marinara. "If you were one Gundam, what would it be? Any series."

"A Gundam?" Erio put his fork down.

"Didn't think you were into the Anime scene, Soran." Tea took a slurp of her drink. "I guess I'd go with Dynames or Buster."

"Sniper units, no surprise there." Soran yawned.

"I guess Altron or Shenron for me." Erio scratched his head. "The lance and speed really go with my style."

"BAAAAAKURETSU GOTTO FINGAH!" Subaru got up and punched the air.

"God Gundam, also no surprise. How about you, little princess?"

"Um… I don't know. I never watched the shows really. Maybe a strategic or backup unit?"

"Blitz then maybe." Tea pointed her chopstick.

"I think Throne Drei would work better." Soran interrupted.

"The Thrones weren't Gundams. They were using false GN Drives. If you counted that, then the GN-X is also a Gundam, and that was a grunt suit that they skimped on the animation of."

"The GN-X couldn't cast a Stealth Field like Drei though. That thing had a lot of particle emission, which enabled the other suits to use their strengths. Remember the Hi-Mega-Launcher combination? Basically the Drei is just like Caro, just without the dragon."

"Reeeah." Fried squeaked.

"No offense to you of course."

"So which one are you then, Soran-kun?" Subaru finally sat down after her ridiculous pose.

"I was thinking about that for a while actually. At first I was going to say Strike Freedom, but Nanoha-daicho has that one already. Fate-daicho is Infinite Justice so that's out too. I don't have any bits like Legend or Providence, so I guess I'd have to go with Destiny, since it has a multi-weapon platform. Though it relies on melee weaponry a bit more than I like."

"Then why don't you go with Kyrios? Speed and long range weaponry, with additional weapons options depending on the loadout. Plus you've got that transforming shield weapon."

"Mmm, that one might work too, but I'm holding out to see what Season 2 has for the shuttlecock suit." Everyone at the table blushed. "What? I can't say shuttlecock?"

"How's it going with the search, you two?" Ginga entered the library, where Arf and Yuuno were floating around, checking records every which way.

"No good here." Yuuno flipped upsidedown, his ponytail pointing towards the older teen. "Most of the material on Perseus was lost in the war, and anything on singularity weaponry is classified up the wazoo. So much so that I doubt even Fate-chan could get through. How's it looking on your end, Arf?"

"Nothing in system data or scientific reports. I'm going to try the video archive. I'll be right back." Arf flew through a door.

"Why are we obsessing about this professor anyway?" Yuuno flipped rightside up as he landed.

"Because he knew the most about Casters. Someone is out to get Soran-kun, and I have a feeling the motive is Caster driven. We need to find out more about these weapons, and the people most involved with them to find a connection."

"You guys! I found something!" Arf dove for the floor, a beautiful blue crystal in her hand. "I found an old Persean video encyclopedia with a record of a Gene Starwind. Have a look." She pulled up a terminal and shoved the crystal in the access port.

A man displayed on the screen, with dark red hair, green eyes, and a cocky smile on his battle-scarred face. "Gene Starwind, a name that will be heralded by our planet forever, starting in this, his first ever entry into the Persean Global Encyclopedia. It was two years ago that this scientist and mage appeared seemingly out of the blue, claiming to be able to solve the mystery of the Casters. And solve them he did. The first ever successful test firing was of a number 1 shell during a mining rescue, shown here." Starwind pointed his cannon at a large pile of rock, and a spiral of black and purple wind shot forth from the staff, burrowing into it. "As you can see, the number 1 shell successfully burrowed through 100 feet of solid rock, leaving all the unmined Casters in the area, and the people trapped inside unharmed."

"Incredible." Ginga was awestruck. "The type 1's function must have been to eliminate a specified type of matter."

"A year ago, Honorary Professor Starwind proposed the Theory of Dimensional Fissures to the Persean Scientific Panel."

"We, as a people, discovered a great power that requires great wisdom and responsibility to manipulate. It was not created by our own hands, but given to us by the stars. The Caster can be a gift, and it can be a curse. Far too many have lost their lives in applying the great power within the shells. I believe that misuse of that power brought the Casters to us through dimensional space! I believe that the most dangerous of the shells, the Type 9, destroyed not only a planet, but a dimension. And when I am finished here today, I believe you will all agree with me when I say that we should ban the use of the Type 9 Shell!"

"While his knowledge of Casters is unprecedented, his past and education remain a mystery. This encyclopedia was unable to obtain any information before the publishing date. We apologize for the lack of information and will attempt to rectify it next issue. Starwind is an active researcher at the Perseus Military Academy, and lives with his wife Melfina and unborn son." The video switched over to a still image of Starwind and his wife, a woman with long black hair and a sad look in her eyes, obviously near due.

"She's very pretty." Arf commented.

"How lucky. Wish I had a family like that." Ginga mused. The other two looked at her strangely. "Sorry, I guess I'm a little jealous of Subaru. If she and Soran get any more serious, I'll wind up being an aunt before she does." She joked.

Alarms blared at Section 6 HQ. "All personnel to emergency stations. This is not a drill. All personnel to emergency stations." The forwards looked up from their respective duties, and they broke into a run. They met up with each other on the way to the situation room.

"So they're skidding through interdimensional space out of control?" Hayate gasped.

"Yes." Chrono Harlown spoke from his position aboard his ship. "They were trying to send me some vital data, but something went wrong and we lost contact. The captain must have ordered the ship to pull this maneuver to get us the information regardless of the risk. It must have been clipped by a fold in the dimensional slipstream while trying to exit. Now it's being battered around."

The sub-commanders entered and joined the ranks. "And it's only an Aeris-class research vessel."

"Ah. It won't last very long in Slipstream. Commander Yagami, Section Six will send out their rescue squad immediately. Your mission is to retrieve the crew, by either saving the ship or evacuation. You will be using my vessel to enter Slipstream, so I will stand by for transport."

"Understood. I will be there shortly." She cut the transmission. "Shari, I want estimations on that craft. How long is it going to last, and what are we looking at in the slipstream conditions ahead?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Shamal, get the medical units up to the ship. I want full triage and emergency units set up."

"Ma'am."

"Zaphila, Vice. You two are on maintenance. Grab anything you can think of that can repair that ship and get them out of there."

"Ou."

"We'll need my bike too if we're hitting the halls." Teana said quickly.

"Make that two." Soran added. "I'm a pretty good driver myself." Vice nodded before he rushed off.

"Commander, I estimate about three hours until the ship's shields start to buckle." Shari finished her calculations. "There are going to be some rough seas ahead. They picked a bad time to get stuck between dimensions."

"Tch." Hayate bit her lip before turning to the ranks behind her. "Forwards, this is scenario B-14, secure and prepare for evacuation. Most likely we won't be able to save the ship in the timeframe they need, so everyone needs to be at the designated evacuation zones highlighted on this map." A viewer appeared with glowing hotspots on the hull of the ship. "Each of you has a different section to cover. Subaru, you're aft, including the engine room. Erio, you're starboard. Caro, you're port, which includes the medical bay. Teana, you'll stay in the central decks. Soran, you'll be at the bow, this also includes the bridge and science units."

"Ma'am!"

"Nanoha, Fate, and I will remain on standby on the ship. We will sortie in the event we must switch to plan C-99." Nanoha and Fate began whispering to each other. "If switching to C-99, Teana will relieve Soran in his section and the others will expand their coverage to match. Soran, you will assist the Commanders in C-99 operations."

"Understood."

"Operation start!"

They all filed out of the door in a dash, heading for the transport room. They entered just as Shamal and the medical crew disappeared from the pad. "Teleport us directly to their bridge."

"Ma'am." A magic circle appeared in the center of the room, and they all got on it. Within seconds the scenery changed, and they were on a battleship bridge, looking out into space.

"As prompt as usual, Hayate." Chrono stood and shook her hand.

"Chrono-cancho. Our engineering team should be coming soon. Once they are aboard we will be ready to leave."

"Understood. You heard her everyone! Chart a course for slipstream entry and prepare for launch!"

"We'll get into position at the entry points." Teana and the forwards saluted before turning to the door. "Oi, Soran, what are you doing?!"

He was flipping rapidly through his manual. "I don't see it."

"Soran!"

"Uh? Oh!" He caught up with them quickly. "Sorry about that. Do any of you know what C-99 is? My manual didn't have it listed."

"Good question." Subaru answered as she paralleled him. "My book only covers up to the B's."

"Hmm…." Soran closed his eyes for a second. 'Commanders, are one of you there?'

'Harlown.' Fate answered.

'What is operation C-99?'

'C-99 is the operational code for all S+ rank mages to use full power attacks. Most likely Yagami-daicho is thinking we might have to forcibly flatten the dimensional waves.'

"EH?!" He said it out loud, drawing looks from his comrades. 'Unfold a dimension by force… is that even possible?!'

'I don't know, but the point is we'll have to try.'

'Egh… understood.' Soran shook his head.

"Well?"

"Classified info apparently. Sorry."

They made it to the starboard airlocks, where Vice already had Tea's red bike set up with a sidecar. He was working on attaching a sidecar to a blue bike right next to it. "All hands, prepare to enter slipstream!"

The entire world stretched out in front of Soran's eyes, then snapped back to normal like a rubber band. "Woah." He had to kneel down and recover.

"That was your first slipstream jump, huh?" Teana asked.

"Yeah." Soran winced. "Everything keeps wobbling."

"We were introduced to it early in the academy, but since you skipped that phase, you haven't gotten a taste of it until now."

Shamal pressed a hypo to his neck. "This should get you back on your feet."

"Thanks, Shamal-sensei." He rubbed the spot he was injected in and then stood slowly. He went crosseyed for a second then blinked it away. "It still feels like everything is in motion, but it's not as bad."

"_Set up, boss._"

"Uh? Barrage?"

"_Set up. We can help._"

"It's not a bad idea to do that anyway. We'll be diving headfirst into this mission soon after all." Tea nodded.

She put Cross Mirage's card forward. Mach Caliber's pendant, Strada's watch, Kercleyon's bells, and the Dark Trinity keys joined it in the center. "_Get ready."_

"Forwards, set up!" In a circle, all of their gear materialized on their bodies.

Without asking, a visor spread over Soran's eyes. "Hey, it stopped shaking! Thanks Barrage!"

"_Our pleasure._" Soran mounted the staff on his back.

Viewscreens appeared on the hull, becoming windows to the outside. Looking at it, it was like galaxies were passing over them, casting waves of bright light across the slipstream tube. "It's beautiful."

"There she is." Zaphila switched to his humanoid form as he zoomed in on the ship that was still slightly ahead. "She's in bad shape. Vice, take a look at this."

"I don't believe this! One of her engines was sheared right off!"

"It's too clean to be a wave's sideswipe though."

"An Aeris-class wasn't made for slipstream. Probably used up all her power just to make the jump, and the portal closed up on her engine. Which explains why she can't maneuver."

"Can we fix it?"

"Maybe, if we can set up a levitation generator, we can at least get some maneuvering. But she's not going to make a jump on her own. The key factor is time. How much do we have right now?"

"Two hours, 32 minutes. Give or take."

"Well, we can try. But that's cutting it close."

"We're coming up on her port side." Tea said as she mounted her bike. "I'll take Subaru and Erio to their respective areas. Soran, you take Caro and Shamal. Caro, secure the evac sliders to the ship."

"You got it." Soran mounted his bike and revved the engine.

Hayate's voice echoed through their heads. 'We're going to extend our shield over theirs for a moment so you can get on board without turbulence. We can't keep it up long term though.' A wave hit the smaller ship, and it jumped. Everyone watching winced. 'There's a calm section coming up. Get ready.'

The hatch opened. "_Wing Road."_ Mach Caliber's magical scrawl reached from airlock to airlock.

"This is Stars 1, Stars 2, and Lightning 3. Commencing boarding." Tea gunned the throttle and went up the ramp.

"Darkwing 5, with Lightning 4 and Dove. Breaking through!" Soran cranked his grip and followed.

"Revolver Knuckle!" Subaru punched through the airlock door with ease, and the two bikes tore into the darkened hallway.

Soran screeched to a halt as Tea peeled off. Caro jumped out of the sidecar and attached a magical generator to the airlock. "Kerkcleon, activate Evac Slider." Her gloves blinked and the generator cast a white cylindrical bridge to the opposite end. "Capture complete."

Soran nodded and hit the throttle again, racing through the halls, taking note of the signs, hitting hard turns. Once he saw the Medical Bay doors, he slammed the brakes and screeched to a halt. Shamal nodded and rushed in as he tore away towards the bridge. "I'm from Section 6 Rescue Command! Where's your head doctor?" She cried as she entered the room, filled with wounded people moaning in pain.

"He's dead. He and the head nurse were stuck in surgery when they made the jump." A young girl in a medical uniform, blood on her fingers and blouse answered.

"Damn it! I'm taking over this operation. You, come with me. Anyone who doesn't have serious leg wounds, head to the portside airlocks! There will be a medical team on the other side to treat you." Her ring lit up and she lifted open an unconscious man's eyelids. "Nurse, tag these people as I say. This one needs cauterization before moving. Severe bloodloss, type AB." She pulled out a bandage from her kit and tied extremely tightly around the man's half-severed arm. She jumped over to another, checking her pulse and breath. She winced and pulled the blanket over the body's head.

"Uuughhh!" Another one started twitching and gasping.

She slid over to him quickly. "Cardiac arrest! Defib!" The nurse handed her the paddles. "Charge 300. Clear!"

Soran leapt off his bike and entered the bridge. "Who's the captain of this boat?" The ship rocked from turbulence. "I'm from Section 6 Rescue Squad."

"I am." A blonde woman with short spiny hair said as she got out of her chair. "Thank you for coming. What's the situation?"

"We currently have rescue personnel combing each section of the ship for survivors. We're going to move all of you to the evacuation points and take you aboard. Our engineering team is trying to get at least some maneuvering back to buy us some time, but they're going to need help."

"Marc, Paul. Engineering." The woman ordered.

"We've got someone in medical doing triage as well, with the rest of her team on the way. I need your crew manifest."

"Tear." She ordered again, and the woman in communications handed him a blue chip.

He slid it into his visor and read the list. "Barrage, send this to the rest of the team."

"RNGH!" Subaru bent open a door. "Is anyone in here? I'm from the Rescue Squad!"

A young man coughed. "Over here."

Subaru rolled over to him and lifted the heavy shelving unit off him. The manifest popped up on a terminal next to her. "S. Kelley? Can you walk?"

"RGH!" Erio propped Strada up. "Hurry!" A man and a woman scrambled out from under the lifted wreckage.

"Hang on, I'll cut through this. Level two, Cross Mirage." Tea's gun spread a beam cutter, and she speared it into a piece of metal, sending sparks flying.

Caro had her eyes tightly shut as she waved her hands over an injured man in triage, just helping to keep him alive until they could operate on him, as Shamal closed the eyes of the man she tried to save earlier. She crossed his name off of the manifest in red ink.

"Now to the heart of the matter." Soran crossed his arms. "You mind telling us why the hell you jumped into Slipstream? You could easily have gotten slingshot halfway across the universe, or been rebounded back!"

"Our communications were down due to dimensional distortion, and we needed to get the message to Commander Harlown as soon as possible. So I deemed the risk necessary. I of course didn't think we'd lose our right engine."

"So what did you find?"

"We came across a dimensional fissure, and a large mass trying to penetrate it. The research data is on the computers two decks below us. We had charted it to enter one of three heavily inhabited dimensions: Earth, Perseus, and Clow. We felt it necessary to warn the fleet before it got any further."

"Dimensional Fissure… ah! You mean like that thing that hit Perseus 20 years ago?!" Soran's eyes went wide.

Suddenly everyone was thrown to the bulkheads as a jarring wave hit the ship. "Commander, she's going to capsize!" One of Chrono's bridge crew gasped.

Tea gritted her teeth as she held onto a man's arm tightly, struggling to keep him from falling into the sharp metal below. 'Vice-kun… if you don't get this ship righted, we're going to die!'

"Zaphila, I don't care if you have to kick that thing, get it running!" Vice grunted as he checked the control terminal backwards.

Metal twisted and groaned. "The anchors! They're breaking!'' Zaphila grunted as he braced himself against the generator.

"I can't do anything." Caro sobbed as she hung onto the doorframe. "I can't summon Voltaire in this place!"

Erio jabbed Strada into a wall. "Hang on, everyone!" He said to the three people gripping it for dear life.

Soran planted his feet firmly on the back wall and pointed Barrage towards the ceiling. A magical triangle appeared below his feet. "Barrier Jacket, cancel backlash protection and activate Active Guard across this deck! All hands, brace yourselves!" He raised his shooting staff above his head. "Elements of destruction!"

"_Trinity Buster._"

He pointed the ball of energy at the ceiling. "Let these innocents be saved!" The attack tore into and through the ceiling like it was paper and flew back, hitting the opposite wall of the Slipstream. His legs buckled under him as the force of the blast was transferred into the ship. "GWAAAAAAAHHH!" He screamed in pain and pressure.

"Soran-kun!" Nanoha gasped as he heard him over the radio.

"Come on… come on… TURN!" Fate yelled.

The little ship fought back against the wave and hit the bottom surface of the slipstream again. Hayate pressed her hand to her heart. "Good work, Soran. That was some quick thinking."

Soran's head slammed into the floor as he fell off the wall. "Itte!" He rolled around in pain for a while before he stumbled to get up. "Barrier Jacket, return to default functions. Yeah, but there's nothing stopping it from happening again." He answered Hayate. "And I don't feel up to risking that again. Unless Zaphila and Vice can get that levitation generator up and running, we should abandon this ship."

'Yeah, about that.' Vice's voice reached his ear. 'We lost the generator. The anchors didn't hold and it fell out through the engine breach.'

'Shit!' Soran slammed his fist into the back of someone's chair. 'Tea, you got that, right? You're the team leader.'

'For once, I agree with you Soran. Get everyone to abandon ship.'

'Unh.' Soran sighed before he looked up. "Everyone, abandon ship. Head to the portside airlocks." He clenched his fist tight. "Sorry, but we can't save her, Captain."

"I understand. But what about the research data?"

"Make sure the science officer that took the readings gets off the ship safely. If we have time, we'll get the data, but your lives come first. Now get going. I need to check for other survivors." Soran ran out of the bridge and hit the ladder for the next floor. "Barrage, Wide Area Search. All humanoid lifeforms." His three other keys glowed and he tossed them forward, each choosing their own separate way to go. Immediately a reading came up on his visor. "Over there, huh?"

"This is turning out to be the worst case scenario." Chrono snarled.

"Please calm down, big brother." Fate squeezed his shoulder gently. "We'll still save everyone we can. That's what's really important."

"Ah!" One of the bridge crew gasped. "Captain, Commander!" Their attention was brought to the main viewer. "Long range sensors have picked up a mass disturbance ahead!"

Chrono stood up, his eyes trembling. "That's not a wave, that's a wall! It'll eat up both ships! Timeframe, now!"

"35 minutes maximum."

"That's not enough!"

"Hayate-chan!" Rein turned towards her.

Hayate narrowed her gaze. "Section 6, begin C-99."

"Uh?!" Soran gasped. "C-99?! Not now! Shit!" Soran tore off the cuff of his jacket and placed it on the wrist of the unconscious girl he was near. 'Tea, Shamal, I need to rendezvous with the others. I found a girl and her familiar on the deck three, but she's too badly hurt to be moved. I put my tracer on her. Garyu is also indicating there's someone on deck five, D section. That's as far as I got.'

'I'll have an EMS team up there ASAP.' Shamal acknowledged, signaling to one of her crew.

'I'll get the person on deck five. Everyone else, expand your search areas as planned. Soran, be careful. If anything happens to you, we can't track you.'

'I understand.' Soran entered the bridge and kicked off through the hole he had made earlier. "Kgh!" He was almost overcome by the turbulence and speed. "Woah!"

"Soran-kun!" Nanoha grabbed his arm and tugged him forward. "Commander Takamachi Nanoha override, Berkt jacket to Active Guard. Increase power to flight unit 50 percent." Soran stabilized and was able to keep up with her. "Soran-kun, gomen! We should have trained you for this long ago, but we forgot all about the fact you weren't in the academy."

"Don't worry about me, Nanoha-san. But why the C-99 all of a sudden?" Fate and Hayate unisoned with Rein entered formation as they pulled away from the ship.

"You'll be able to see it in a few seconds." Fate pointed Bardiche forward.

"I see a little wave coming over the ho…ri…zon…." He slowed down as he saw it get bigger and bigger. "Crap. This one is gonna hurt, isn't it."

"It will hurt us, but not those behind us if we're successful." Nanoha closed her eyes and sighed. "Raising Heart, Burst 3!" She gritted her teeth as her barrier jacket solidified, and her bits appeared as Raising Heart turned into Excellion Form.

"Bardiche, Sonic Form!" Fate's barrier jacket melted away, leaving minimal armor, as Bardiche switched to its twin-bladed Riot Form. She then combined them into her signature giant blade and put it over her shoulder.

"Rein."

"I understand, desu." Hayate opened her book and lifted her cross wand into the air.

Soran's magical triangle appeared below his feet as he twirled Rainbow in his left hand. "I've been wanting to try this one out. I just never had an excuse to do it."

"_Divine Judgment Buster._" Raising Heart cocked all the cartridges in the clip and ejected it, only to have her shove another in. The device ate those too as all of its points began to glow white hot.

"_Execution Zanber._" Fate raised her sword into the air as it cocked all of its cartridges. She swung it behind her and loaded another. In that position, the device swallowed them up too, the golden blade crackling with millions of volts.

"Earth-shattering disaster, take form in front of my eyes. Ragnarok!" Hayate and Rein chanted at the same time, and a white magical triangle appeared in front of her, each of its points glowing in an ever increasing gray light.

"Inferno, Glacier, and Lightning, the elements of destruction," Soran closed his eyes as the three energy balls appeared around him. He lifted up the twirling Rainbow, and the magic circle spun faster below him. "Combine with the breath of life and create true chaos!" His cyclone defense swirled around him, sucking up the balls of energy, forcing them together and surrounding them.

"_Element Crusher."_ He grabbed Rainbow Zwei and pulled it down to parallel Barrage Zwei, the ball of writhing elements hovering a few inches in front of the tip of both.

Soran's visor beeped as the wave came into full view. His hair blew in a wave of turbulence as his reticule turned green. All of them cried out. "BREAKEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!"

Their pent up energies released in fearsome raging bursts, hurtling towards their deadly opponent, made out of existence itself. They gritted their teeth as they fought against the push. It was a force of will versus nature as the wall tried to go forward. "It's not weakening enough desu!"

"We have to keep trying!" Fate grunted.

"Gah!" Nanoha yelped as her skin split on her left arm, a trail of blood flying back. "Something like this…"

"Kgh!" Soran snarled. "Kiryu! Garyu!" They flew out in Flash form, surrounding the emission point. They began to spin rapidly around it, twisting the beam into a giant tornado, which consumed the other weapons.

"What are you doing, Soran?!" Fate gasped.

"He's focusing it!" Hayate gasped.

"You… shall not pass!" Soran's cyclone consumed the wall in energy. After holding it for a good ten seconds, his body slumped, too expended to continue. "Geez." Everyone stopped their attacks. The energy dissipated, and the wave continued forward. "Oh, sure, go ahead and make a liar out of me."

"We halved it desu. Now the rescue ship can survive."

"But we don't have enough time to evacuate the rest of the crew of the Aeris-class. And I don't think any of us have a shot like that in us again." Hayate groaned.

Soran closed his eyes and took a fresh breath. "Yes we do." He outturned his hand to Fate. "My Caster, please."

"Eh?" Fate blinked.

"Damn it, you already know what it is, now give me the damn Caster! It still has energy I can use!" Soran snarled. "You had to have brought it with you!"

"Unh." Fate looked away ashamedly as she placed the golden case in his hand.

"Dark Trinity weapons, full limiter release. Maximum power!"

"_Gillium Form!_" His weapon turned into the Caster Cannon form. He loaded the case. "_Extra shot!_"

"Rein, link up. I'll need your help."

"Hayate-chan…." Rein whispered while inside her.

She nodded. "Go ahead." Hayate canceled the unison.

"Unison in!" Rein dove into Soran's chest. His cape turned golden, and his hair turned into a shade of blonde-green. His eyes shifted to bright blue as his battle gear turned a cloudy blue in color.

He closed their eyes and took a deep breath. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." Fate, Hayate, and Nanoha backed away only slightly, fascinated to see the attack up close. The shell glowed inside of Barrage and began to vibrate. The tunnel seemed to get darker, and crackled with electricity.

Countless alarms went up on the bridge. "Captain, something is breaking through the slipstream wall!"

"What?! Why didn't we detect any portal energy?!"

"It's not using a portal! It's forcing its way through physically!"

"That's impossible!"

"The distortion it's creating… it has to be the size of a small moon!"

Chrono fell back into his chair in disbelief. "L-Location! Where's it emerging?!"

"Right above Commander Hayate's party!"

"No!"

A deafening explosion shuddered through the tunnel. Fate, Hayate, and Nanoha covered their ears as they screamed in pain. Soran just floated there, continuing to chant, blood trickling from his ears. The slipstream went dark, and a pitch black piece of rock with golden glowing specks breeched the wall above them. "What?!" Nanoha gasped.

"It's going to tear the Slipstream apart!" Hayate gasped.

"Those lights… they look like…." Fate thought back to the time in the lab. "Soran, stop! Stop chanting! There are millions of Casters in that thing!"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

"The explosion deafened him!" Nanoha dove for him and grabbed his head, wrenching it to look above."

"Pa… AHH!" Soran gasped, his staff going down to his side as the giant black rock came for him.


	12. Chapter 12

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 12

_A young boy stood next to his father, dirty from gardening long and hard. Now they just stood there, looking at the three cylindrical benches in the garden, their stone pure and white. The man knelt down in the grass and mulch, and said a silent prayer. He looked up into the sky as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Dad…."_

"_It was today that I lost everything, except your mother. My friends, my comrades, none of them survived. Jim… Aisha… Suzuka… they're all up there somewhere, drifting through the stars on the wind." He sat down on the new stone. "Every year, I replace this old memorial, and put in a new one. I can never really choose something that I think they would all enjoy. Really, the Star was the only place where we all could agree to be, but that ship is lost forever, along with them."_

"_Dad…."_

"_Soran, don't treat your friends like they don't matter. Even if they piss you off and annoy you, always treat them as friends. Never throw them away like I did."_

The giant black asteroid loomed over everything: the Aeris-class, the rescue vessel, and the S+ rank party. Soran's eyes trembled as he looked up. "Another piece…. I can't believe it's another piece…."

The Aeris-class captain rushed onto Chrono's bridge and gasped. "That's it! Commander Harlown, that's the celestial body we were trying to tell you about!"

"Then just what the hell is it?!"

"I'm sorry sir, I don't know. However the readings we took indicate that the entire asteroid is emitting dimensional distortions. We found it trying to cut through a single dimension, and then tracked it going through another. It shouldn't have been able to enter slipstream."

"If it stays like that, there won't be a slipstream for it to enter, sir!" Chrono's science officer yelled from below. "The dimensional distortion is causing the different universes to backflow into the tunnel. At this rate the entire tube will collapse in on itself!"

"We need to get into normal space!" Chrono hissed. "Lanster, how much time do you need to get the ship evacuated?"

"At least 20 more minutes, sir!" Tea answered quickly as she sent another person sliding down the tube.

The science officer shook her head. "Egh!" Chrono growled. "And we still have that waveform approaching to deal with. I can't believe this is happening."

"Hayate-chan, what should we do?" Nanoha spoke without ever taking her eyes off the mass.

"I… I don't know… I've never seen anything like this."

"Millions of Caster shells… this must have been what the Perseans saw before it impacted their planet." Fate quivered. "But what can be created by Casters can be solved by them as well. Soran!"

He didn't hear them. "There was another piece, a piece of that universe…."

"Soran-kun!" Nanoha yelled at him.

"It's no use. He can't hear us. His eardrums must have split." Hayate shook her head.

"Tch AUGH!" Soran covered his ears. "That really fucking hurt!"

"Eardrums repaired desu. You're lucky I can mend such minor injuries desu."

"Soran, you can hear us?" Nanoha gasped hopefully.

"I've got a bit of a loud ring, but yeah. Damn that stung!"

Fate grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up to nose level. "Soran, is the feature of discharged cartridges to be attracted to one another?"

"I suppose so. I've never tried it other than individually."

"When you started chanting, this thing dropped on our heads! You know about Casters more than the rest of us. You have to find a way!"

Soran bit his lip. "Rein, conference." They had an internal discussion. The others waited. "Will it work?" He said aloud.

"You'll have to take me with you, it requires precise timing and course desu."

Soran sighed with a smile and shook his head. "Once again, I'll have to be the sacrificial lamb." He turned towards the dimensional wave. "Let's go, Rein!" He tore off for it.

"Soran-kun!" Nanoha gasped.

Soran's face appeared in front of Chrono's screen, and his voice echoed in his, Tea's, and the commanders' heads. 'I'm going to decoy the rock to destroy the wave, drawing it fully into slipstream as well. It should give you enough time to get everyone aboard and make the jump.'

'But what about you? You won't be able to get around that thing to make it back in time.' Chrono was starting to understand.

'That doesn't matter, because I'm not going to even try.' Tea and the commanders' eyes went wide. 'Once you're clear, send someone to jump ahead and pick me up.'

"Soran…." Teana looked down at a young redheaded girl in a stretcher with a blue cuff with yellow stripes on her left wrist. "Pick him up?! NO!" 'Soran, you can't do that! You don't have your tracer! We'll never be able to find you!'

'Goodbye, everyone.' Soran whispered before it cut out.

"He's too far away for telepathic contact." The communications officer looked away.

"No…." Nanoha trembled. "He's sacrificing himself again. He's… he's… Soran-kun!" She started forward, but Fate and Hayate held her fast. "Let go! We can't let him do this!"

"We can't let his gift go to waste, Nanoha-chan!" Hayate fought against her. "We have to go back and finish the rescue operation!"

"Soran-kun! SORAN-KUN!"

"NANOHA-CHAN, HE'S THE ONLY ONE!" Fate yelled at her at point blank range. The brunette turned to the blonde, and observed the tear running down her cheek. "He's the only one who can do this. The only one with a Caster…. Soran-kun… is going to save us all!"

Nanoha gave up fighting, but she still stretched her arm out towards the rock as they dragged her back. "Soran-kun, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Hayate looked back as a tear flew from her eye. "Rein, take care of him."

Soran and Rein coasted low in the tunnel, paralleling the waves. "Okay, we're far enough away, desu."

"I'll leave the flying up to you then, Rein! Pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa." The cartridge glowed in his staff, and in reciprocation, so did points on the dark asteroid. It slowly began to move forward.

"Acceleration at 2.2 and climbing. Waveform approaching in 30 seconds desu. Standard deviation reduced to .0001." Rein halted the both of them as Soran continued chanting. The wave and the asteroid came closer and closer. "Flight unit power increase to 175 percent of normal desu."

"Pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa." 'It's not too late to bail out, Rein-san.'

'I'm not leaving you here alone desu.' "Prepare for acceleration in three… two… one…." The two of them throttled up at a diagonal just squeezing between the dimensional wave and the dark asteroid. Inches behind the boy, they slammed into each other, its energy breaking across the surface of the rock. "That did it!"

At the top of the Slipstream tube, the asteroid finished emerging, and the wall mended itself in a snap that sent a waveform across the tunnel. Alarms went off on the bridge. "Captain, another waveform approaching from 90 degrees!"

'We're almost done!' Tea yelled. 'We're just waiting on Subaru. She's got two more survivors!' "Caro, get across the bridge, hurry!"

She shook her head. "Tea-san, you go! I'll keep the bridge stable until Subaru-san arrives!"

"Make sure you get across, or I'm coming back for you!" She dove into the tube, and it ejected her into the arms of her comrades. She looked across at the girl just as the shockwave crept under the smaller ship. The invisible capsule surrounding the ship exploded into little shards of mirrors. "The shield!" Both ships rocked and pitched as they were raised high up onto the walls of Slipstream, pieces of the hull ripping apart from the lower decks. The bridge began to flit in and out. "Caro! Subaru!"

"Kerkcleon." Caro whispered calmly as she boosted the generator's power.

"I got them!" Subaru rounded the corner on Wing Road, the ship's orientation starting to become a problem. Caro jumped up, and she landed between Subaru's legs, as they dove head first into the Evac Slider.

They were instantly on the other side, toppling ten of their comrades with their momentum. "Bridge, we got them!" Zaphila yelled. The slider burst apart as the smaller ship was lifted directly over their heads. "Oh shit!"

"All hands prepare for emergency jump! Do it now!" Chrono yelled. He was thrown out of his seat by a jarring hit, and the world stretched out like a newspaper imprint on silly putty. The world snapped back together and Chrono was flung back to his seat. His ship was now in normal space.

Subaru grunted and rubbed her head. "Ow ow ow." She sat up and looked around. "Uh? Hey, where's Soran?"

The boy struggled against his staff. "Hey, Rein…"

"Mmm?"

"Where should I fire this thing? Pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa."

"Um… umm…" She scanned around in a panic. "There!" A target on the asteroid appeared. "Shoot there, Soran!"

He swung the staff around and pulled the trigger. "Bite shot!" He fired, and that jut in the rock was completely eliminated, save the Caster shells within, which were pulled to the mass by the gravity well. "Uh?" They both blinked, seeing a large bump of red metal sitting there, once hidden from view by the cliff.

Tea clenched her fist tight. "I'm sorry, Subaru. He went off on his own to divert the asteroid and the wave. He couldn't make it back in time."

"So… he's still in Slipstream?" Subaru's eyes went wide.

"Unh. We were planning on putting together a rescue team to get him, but…." A tear ran down her cheek.

"But…." Subaru's voice trembled.

Teana lifted Soran's cuff and put it into her hand. Caro gasped, whipping her hands up to her mouth as she watched. "He had put his tracer on a little girl that needed rescue." She balled her fists at her sides and lowered her head. "There's no way to find him anymore!"

"No…." Caro slumped to the floor shaking her head.

"It's not true." Subaru took a step back. "It's a lie! Tea, this is the cruelest prank ever!"

"Subaru… It's not…."

"Shut up! I can't trust a word that comes out of your mouth anymore!"

"Subaru…." A suffering female voice came from behind her.

The bluenette turned around and smiled beyond her tears. "Nanoha-san! It's a lie right? That Soran is…."

Nanoha knelt down and placed a hand on each of her shoulders. She tried to smile as she looked into the girl's eyes. Subaru could only grit her teeth as she tried to shake her head. The Commander pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry." She whispered, burying her head in the younger girl's shoulder.

Subaru's eyes shot open wide. Her entire body began to tremble, and her eyes switched back and forth between yellow and blue. "Iyya… no… iyya." She raised her head up high. "SORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

"Uh?" Rein opened her eyes as lights turned on above her. She sat up, looking around at the gray and white metal. "Where am I?"

"On that ship we saw stuck in the asteroid." Soran said from underneath her. He rolled out from underneath the terminal she was lying on. "You passed out after we split our unison. I was pretty exhausted too."

"Oh. How long have I been out desu?"

"About 18 hours. I got 8 hours myself, and then I started on getting some environmentals going on this boat. Our barrier jackets were running low on life support." Soran's canceled out, returning him to his brown uniform. "I need to let it recharge, or else we're never getting out of here."

Rein's armor canceled too, and she shook her long hair out, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'm still exhausted. It felt like my very life force was being drained."

"That's what a Caster does. It takes a bit of your life force as a catalyst to the reaction. Usually it replenishes itself though. We were just wiped out from all those attacks we used before." Soran sat down and pulled a bar from his pocket. "I haven't looked through the ship yet, so all we have for right now is my rations." He broke off a piece and handed it to her. "It's not four star, but it's something."

"Thank you desu." She bit down and made a face. "Ugh."

"Hold your nose and you won't taste it." Soran said as he demonstrated, shoving down the bar quickly. He stood up and stretched. "You feel up to moving around, Rein-san?"

"Unh." She got up and fluttered around in the air for a second before dropping.

"Whoops!" He caught her quickly. "Guess you still can't fly yet." He opened his breast pocket and she climbed inside. After she was comfortable, they began to explore.

"What is this ship? I've never seen anything designed like this before desu."

"It's probably from the destroyed universe." Soran muttered as he turned down a hall, Garyu in his right hand, ready to fight if necessary.

"Eh?"

"Well I'm not surprised you never heard of it. Most of the records were lost in the Persean War." Soran slid open a door. "Ugh, it smells like kitty litter in here. About 20 years ago, a chunk of rock struck Perseus, where the shell I used came from. It was filled with them. The greatest Persean scientist theorized that a universe collapsed in on itself and created dimensional fissures in which pieces of that universe tore through the barriers until they hit something. Considering how many Casters are in this rock, this is probably a piece of that universe."

"Wow. That sounds amazing desu. Hey, what's that?" She pointed to a pink cylinder with eyes painted on it that was on the ground.

Soran picked it up. "A pet robot maybe?"

"Or a terminal system. Let me try to access it." Rein pressed her hand against it and her eyes flashed. After a few seconds, she shook her head. "It's a dependent. Probably like a maintenance bot controlled by a bigger system. However I did find the ship schematic."

Soran's visor flashed over his eyes, and the blueprint popped up. "From what I saw outside, that means this thing is half buried, nose first."

"The kitchen is to the left, and the bridge is above us and back. Which do you want to hit desu?"

"Let's check the bridge. I want to see if we can fly this thing out. If not, it will give us an idea of how we're doing on energy supply and life support." He found the stairs that lead up to the bridge.

The doors slid open, and a rancid odor wafted into their noses. They took a step in, and the lights went on. "GYAAAAAAHHH!" Rein screamed as she hid in his pocket. In three of the seats sat skeletons, hunched over their controls like they were waiting to take off.

Soran swallowed and took a look around. The bridge wasn't normal by any standards. The captain also seemed to be the pilot, sitting in the center of a raised portion. In front of him was one of the corpses, probably the co-pilot. To the left and right were most likely the gunners, which were also occupied by bones. Then there was a strange round metal hatch on the floor to the back left of the system. "They must have been skilled." He commented. "Nothing in this cockpit goes to waste." He looked up at a strange round readout that didn't seem to be doing anything. "Except that thing."

"These poor people desu…." Soran leapt up to the main seat. "S-Soran, what are you doing?!"

"I have to check the ship's status, don't I?" He sat down and pressed a switch. Nothing happened. "I hope this thing isn't broken." He hopped out of the seat and went to the copilot's chair. He saw a name scribbled into the plating underneath the skeleton. "Pardon me, but I need to check your readouts." He gently leaned it backwards and pressed one of the buttons. Again, nothing happened. "Don't tell me this one is dead too. No offense there um…." He looked at the name plate. "Jim."

"We're going to have to check the others too, aren't we desu?" Rein hiccupped. "Rein doesn't like skeletons."

"Well, I think we have to, since Jim here isn't giving us any…." He stopped in mid step. "Jim?" He rushed over to the right gunner and pushed its head back. "Aisha?" The left gunner. "Suzuka?" Soran wobbled, backing up and hitting the wall, his hand to his mouth. "This is impossible."

"Soran? Soran-kun, what is it desu? Your heart rate just doubled!"

Soran closed his eyes and saw the three stone stools of his past. "Jim Hawkins. Aisha Clan-Clan. Twilight Suzuka." Soran shook his head. "I can't believe what's going on right in front of my eyes! This… this is the Star!"

"_The Outlaw Star to be exact._" A mechanical voice spoke as the cockpit systems powered up. "_And to know those names means you are not an ordinary human._"

They both looked around for the source of the voice. "Soran, up there!" Rein pointed to the panel that he called useless before.

"_I am Gillium Three, sentient computer to the Outlaw Star._" The gauges tweaked as it spoke.

"Gillium…." Soran spoke in a whisper.

"_FORM!"_ His devices mistakenly took it as an order and they formed in front of him.

"_The Caster system as well._" The computer spoke. "_I must say I am impressed. Never did I think that those two would ever create a child._"

Soran's head snapped up. "You know?!"

"_Indeed. I know both of your parents, the captain and the interface. Though you seem to have inherited more of your mother than your father, of which I am grateful._"

"What are you two talking about desu?! Stop leaving Rein out of the loop desu!" Rein leapt from Soran's pocket and started to float between them. "Oh, Rein guesses she can fly now, desu."

"_Hmm? Fascinating. Is this your interface? I must say, they have made them much smaller… in multiple areas._"

"In multiple…" A vein appeared on the little girl's forehead. "If you had a head, Rein would smack you upside it!"

"_However they are not as emotionally restrained._"

"Why you?!"

"Enough, Rein. I'm thinking this is just the way he's programmed." He put his palm in front of her and gently pushed her back. "Gillium…."

"_FORM!"_

"Oh, not again! Barrage, disengage shortcut word. Designate the standard as the only active keyphrase."

"_Acknowledged._"

"Now return to standby mode. Sorry about that, Gillium. It looks as though my father made a namesake for you."

"_I suppose I should be flattered, but coming from him…."_

"Will you please fill me in desu?"

"There's so much going on I need to sit down."

"_The galley would be the best choice for that. Though the fresh foods have most likely rotted away, the dehydrated foods still are edible."_ The door opened and admitted a small gray cylinder running on an overhead track. "_Follow me, please."_

Rein bit into something that resembled a Twinkie. "So basically your biological parents were commanders aboard this ship desu?"

"For all intensive purposes, yes. But what it's doing stuck in this asteroid is beyond me. Gillium?"

"_Yes, Soran? I found my main unit._" The pink cylinder with eyes dropped down from the central track.

"What records do you have about winding up in this asteroid?"

"_Checking."_ He beeped. "_There are none. There is no record of an asteroid collision of any kind. And I never went offline either."_

"Then bring up the last image of the cockpit you have before we boarded." Gillium opened its mouth and spread a viewscreen. The cockpit was lit red with warning lights, a young boy, a feline familiar, and what looked to be a Terran miko were hunched over their consoles. Soran blinked. "Rein."

"Hai desu!" She was next to him in a flash.

"On estimation, how long would it take for a person to decay into a skeleton like those on the bridge from the moment of death?"

"Rein doesn't want to think about it desu." Soran gave her a glare. "At least 200 years, if the conditions on the bridge were the same throughout."

"Gillium, it seems as though you have a memory gap of 200 years."

"_But that's impossible. You yourself are proof of that._"

"I know… I know…." Soran scratched his head. "This isn't making any sense. The ship my father said was floating out in space winds up being stuck in a piece of a dead universe in the middle of Interdimensional Slipstream, and is at least 200 years old. And I'm only 16."

"_I'm sorry, but what is this Slipstream?_"

"Use your aft sensors and look outside. We're in the middle of a naturally occurring high-speed interdimensional transit system that loops through the different known dimensions. The asteroid we're buried in is currently stuck inside of it, and unless we find a way, so are we."

"Unless we're rescued desu."

"We're not going to be rescued, Rein. I left my tracker with a little injured girl so Shamal would find her. Besides, with this thing in the tubes, it's too dangerous for any crew to enter Slipstream. I wouldn't be surprised if they ban slipstream travel until this rock is removed or destroyed. We're going to have to get out of this ourselves."

"Desu…." Rein sighed.

"Gillium, how are we on power and supplies?"

"_Power we have virtually limitless. The nuclear-deuterion generator is virtually perpetual, and only needs a simple maintenance check every 40,000 light years. As for the supplies, I estimate two weeks worth of food left, as most of it has expired."_

Soran sighed and scratched his head. "What about ship functions? Propulsion, navigation, etc."

"_Propulsion is currently undergoing maintenance. I re-inspected all systems once you mentioned the time gap. It should be operational in a week. As for navigation, there are no stars to chart in this place. We have burn thrusters, but those have not been resupplied in a while."_

"So basically, anywhere we go, it will be in a straight line."

"_I thought that is what I said._"

Soran put his keys on the table and raised his hands above it. A terminal appeared and he began typing on it. "What are you doing desu?"

"Adding a new function to Kiryu and Garyu. I'm just glad Shari left them opensourced." Soran kept typing. "I have a week to dig the Star out enough so we can push off. Then the next week, I'll have to mine."

"Mine?"

Soran nodded. "This asteroid is chock full of Casters. There's got to be a type 0 in there somewhere that hasn't been fired."

"_A type 0? Even the captain couldn't get a hold of one of those. It was very rare and expensive._"

"Yeah? Well my father wasn't sitting on a chunk of rock in the middle of nowhere, filled with Casters."

"_Touche."_

Soran put away the program. "Barrage, charge on the Barrier Jacket."

"_80 percent. Damage to the jacket prevents any further charge."_

"Tch. The cuff. I'll have to mine a few times a day then. Alert me when it gets to 30 percent. Set up."

"_Acknowledged."_

The boy's clothes morphed. "_Stonesser!"_ Kiryu and Garyu spoke as they combined into a large, stone-eating drill.

"I'll be back."

Rein was bored, kicking her legs back and forth as she sat on the captain's seat. "Gillium, why does Soran need a type 0 shell?"

"_The Type 0 Caster shell is a tesseract generator, enabler of transferring matter from place to place with a reliable hit ratio."_

"What?"

"He means that it can generate a portal to outside the Slipstream." Soran came in with a towel over his shoulders. "Though I'm not skilled enough to get a pinpointed location since they're so rare, I can at least get us into open space."

"So that's why you wanted to save the ship desu."

"Ah. Our barrier jackets wouldn't last long enough for us to be rescued. We'd be dead in space."

"How goes the digging?"

"Slow. That stuff is harder than I thought, plus I have to make sure I go slow, or I run out of power too quickly." Soran sighed. "Gillium, can I ask you something?"

"_Of course, Soran._"

"Mom and Dad's room, could you show it to me?"

The room was silent for a while. "_Follow me."_

Gillium opened the door to a bedroom, and the lights went on. The condition was pristine, except a pile of laundry on the side. "Mom always liked things clean, and my dad the exact opposite."

"_Indeed. How they ever managed to co-inhabit is beyond my computation."_

Soran sat on the double bed. "They slept here, huh?"

"_I believe they more entertained each other than slept on that piece of furniture. Only once did they have a night when they just slept in it. That was my last recorded day._"

He fell onto it and curled up. "Mom… Dad…."

"_Soran, what happened to your parents?_"

"They were swept away during an interdimensional war. I'm the only one that survived." A tear rolled onto the bed.

"_I see."_

"Tomorrow, I'm going to move Jim, Aisha, and Suzuka, so we can bury them properly when we get home."

"_That is very thoughtful of you. I am sure all three of them would appreciate…"_

"Zzzzzz…"

"_Soran?"_

"Zzzzz… Dad… Mo… Zzzzz."


	13. Chapter 13

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 13

In her office at Section 6 HQ, Hayate picked up her phone. "Yagami." Her eyes expanded from what she heard. "Vita-chan! Zaphila!" A window opened with the two of them. Vita's eyes widened, and Zaphila's jaw dropped.

Within seconds, they were galloping towards the morphing field, as the forwards participated in their morning training. "Egh!" Vita jumped off of Zaphila's back and over the obstacles. "Nanoha! Subaru! Everyone!" She slammed Eisen over a building to get more altitude, so she could be seen by all of them as they looked up. "They found him! They found the brat!"

"Hah?!" Fate gasped, nearly getting speared by Erio in the process.

"You're kidding, right?" Tea lowered her weapons in her duel with Nanoha.

"Please let her mean that…" Nanoha turned her face to the girl in the red armor.

The bluenette had her head sunk as she sat underneath a simulated tree, supposed to be observing the duel. "You hearing me, Subaru?! SORAN'S ALIVE!" Subaru twitched, then looked up into the sky, seeing Vita's smiling face. "Your boyfriend's come home!"

"Hah hah hah." Practically all of Section 6 was running through the halls of Earth's TSAB Hospital, Subaru and Nanoha leading the way.

As they rounded the final corner, they saw a little silver-haired girl in a medical smock hovering in front of the window. "Rein-chan!" Hayate exploded with a stunning burst of speed, enveloping the little girl in a hug.

"Hayate-chan." She smiled, a tear running from her eye. "Everyone."

"Soran?! Soran is…?!" Subaru was desperate. "WHERE IS HE?!"

"Shhh!" The little girl pulled away from the hug and placed her hand on the glass. "He's right here." She motioned to the bed, where he was on oxygen and IVs. "He's suffering from exhaustion, starvation, and oxygen deprivation, but he'll recover desu."

Subaru placed her hand on the glass. "Soran…" Her forehead tapped the barrier, and she began to sob.

Nanoha placed her in a warm hug. "Isn't that great, Subaru?" She sniffled back her own tears.

"Unh… unh!" She nodded, reaching for her neck, taking out her necklace, Mach Caliber enveloped by the cuff of Soran's Barrier Jacket. "It's been three weeks since we agreed that I wouldn't use you until I saw Soran again, Mach Caliber." She unwrapped the cloth. "Thank you for dealing with my selfishness. But it's okay now. He's come home." The pendant blinked in response. She smiled a bright smile through her tears. "He's come back to me."

Rein told them all about what happened. How they met Gillium, and about Soran's plan to escape Slipstream.

"Gillium, there's something I'm wondering about desu." Rein said as she fluttered around the bridge while Soran was on another dig. "When you said Soran's mother was the interface, what did you mean? Is there something similar between her and me?"

"_Well, it would take some time to explain, but it would be best explained that she was born to be on this ship. I would recommend that you try it for yourself. Though I doubt you'll be as compatible."_ The round hatch on the floor opened up.

"Huh?" She looked into it. "What is that liquid stuff?"

"_No one knows._" The girl put her hands on her hips. "_I'm being serious, it's classified so much so they didn't include it in my memory banks. All I know is that I need to keep it purified and at a certain temperature constantly."_

"Fine, whatever desu." She dove in headfirst and felt a warm, inviting hum. Her orientation returned to normal. 'Stardrive… connected. Navigation… connected. Tactical… connected. Salvage arms… connected. Salvage Arms?' The cylinder rose to the deck and the protective shield opened so she could see outside.

"_You interfaced further than I expected. I applaud your resilience."_

'This system is to tie all the ship's functions into one managing entity… me… or… Soran's mother. I have administrative access to all systems including overrides. Perhaps I can…' She spread her arms out.

Outside of the ship, Soran wiped his brow, shoving Kiryu and Garyu into yet another hole. Suddenly the ship moved, two pieces of the hull breaking away and extending into long three-fingered arms. 'Soran.' Rein echoed in his head. 'I found a way to help you dig.' The little girl began to move the arms to dig a ditch above the ship's nose.

"Rein… Way to go Rein! All right!"

They kept digging, for three more days they kept digging, taking shifts on and off. The fatigue was beginning to get to them, only a couple of days worth of rations left to eat. "DAMN IT!" Soran slammed his fist onto the galley table. "We're running out of time, and I can't find a type zero anywhere!"

"_I did warn you that it would be hard to find."_

"Don't say it like I don't know it! As a matter of fact, why don't you not say anything at all?! Put a sock in it for once in your operational life!"

"Stop it desu!" Rein yelled at the both of them. "We're all feeling the stress, and I'm tired of having to be both of your mothers desu! Grow up already!" She panted. "Look, we're never going to get anywhere by fighting. Any energy wasted on that could be used for digging. Soran-kun, we need to figure out a backup plan just in case we run out of time desu."

"There is no backup plan. The only way out of here is a type 0. If we can't dig it up in the next two days, we're out of food."

"Maybe we can find a way to dig faster then?"

"Dig… faster? Rein, if you had a big enough cheek, I'd kiss you!" He ran out and returned with a Caster shell, putting it on the table. "I was going to save this, but this type 1 might be exactly what we need. I can set it to destroy the rock up to 100 feet in. It won't destroy the Casters, or any other thing in there for that matter, but just the rock."

"Then let's use that desu!"

"It's not that easy, Rein. Out of all my digging, this is my only type 1. We need to find a bunch of unexpended Caster shells within 100 feet of the surface before I use it to dig."

"So that's our target desu! Gillium!"

"_I'll need some help if we are going to cover the entire asteroid."_

"I'll link up and help you. Don't worry, Soran! We'll find that vein desu!"

Barrage beeped. "_80 percent charge._"

Soran sighed. "Back into the field again."

'Su…ba….' A voice called to Subaru as Rein told the story in her recovery room. 'Suba… ru…'

Her eyes went wide as she stood. "Soran! He's awake! He's calling for me!"

"Then what are you staying around here for? Go, you goof!" Tea pushed her.

She rushed into Soran's intensive care and knelt down next to him. His eyes were still shut, he was still on oxygen, and his tongue was still swollen. "Did I imagine it?" She whispered to herself.

'Nope… no you didn't. It just really hurts to open my eyes right now.'

"Soran." She put her hand on his.

'I knew you'd be here. That's why… I called out.'

'You don't know how much I've missed you, Soran. I was dead inside.'

'I have a few dates… to make up with you. There's also some stuff I want to show you.'

'Concentrate on getting better first. We have all the time in the world, Soran.'

"Is this our only option?"

"_I don't think we can ignore it. It involves some risk, but I think it's our best chance._"

Soran entered the bridge. "Morning you two. Today's the big…."

"GYAAAAHHH!" Rein screamed as the cylinder closed up and receded. She came out of the floor portal with a soaking wet towel. "Can't you knock desu?!"

Soran blinked. "Would this be a good time for me to ask what you were doing in there naked?"

"I find it easier to interface with the Star desu. My digging productivity went up eight percent because of it."

Soran shook his head. "Whatever. Today's the last day. Give me the coordinates."

"Well, about that, Soran…."

"_We seem to have found a veritable spring of Casters about 106 feet in from the far side of the asteroid. So you will have to do some digging. However there is some risk."_

"The risk being?"

"The stuff you have to dig through is basically Caster free desu."

"What?! I told you to find me a vein within 100 feet! What about that pocket you found at point D6?"

"_To use a simile, it's like choosing a squirt gun instead of a shower to bathe with."_

"He's right, Soran. The pocket at D6 will run dry faster than the one we found. You'll need at least five crates to take all the Casters back desu."

Soran pinched the bridge of his nose. "All right. I survived off of risks until now, what's one more? Besides, if we don't try our best option, then we won't get anywhere anyway."

The boy hurriedly flew to the other side of the asteroid with his weapons already in Gillium Form. He planted his feet firmly in the ground and pointed it at the target, ensuring the angle with his visor. "Load number 1."

"_Loading 1."_ Kiryu and Garyu spread their wings again.

"Confirm target substance."

"_Dark rock matter, target confirmed."_

"Pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa." The cartridge began to glow as the wings began to rotate.

Back on the Star, Rein smiled. "The expended cartridges are reacting, but the unused ones aren't. We're getting a practically zero reaction from the vein. We might hit the mother load."

"Pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa." The wings turned at a blinding speed. "Pagua sun faire!" A black and purple tornado entered the rock, burrowing and chewing it up, sending pieces flying everywhere. Once it reached 100 feet, the energy dissipated, and the wings locked up. Barrage ejected the cartridge, and Soran caught it before it disappeared from sight. Eight exposed shells fell to the bottom of the newly created tunnel, all of them used. "Kiryu. Garyu." Soran rushed into the tunnel and drove his drill into the wall. He gritted his teeth. "Come on! Come on!"

"Come on! Come on!" Rein echoed.

Suddenly, the drill halted, both Kiryu and Garyu blinking like mad. "Uh?" Soran yanked it out, and within seconds he was up to his ankles in golden cartridges. "They're unused! Woohoo! Rein, Gillium, you did it! We're rich boys! We got the mother lode!"

"Yes! Yes desu!" Rein grabbed the pink Gillium and pulled it into a hug, spinning it around.

The rest of the day, Soran spent hauling the crates of Casters back to the Star. Rein and all the Gillium bots went one by one and sorted them all by number. "_Here it is."_

"Eh?" Rein reconfirmed. "Soran-kun! We have it! We found the type 0! Get back now, and we can go home!"

The lights flicked off in Soran's hospital room. Visiting hours were over, and it was time to let him sleep. Subaru understood even before the nurse had come to get her, as Soran had fallen asleep very early on in their conversation.

Rein was released into Shari's care, and after receiving a bit of an adjustment and a big plate of food, she stood on the table of the lounge, surrounded by her peers. "Before I continue on, did anyone get the chance to speak with Soran's doctor before we left desu? I never found out his recovery time desu."

Nanoha nodded from her viewscreen. She and Fate had to go home to Vivio, but still didn't want to miss any of the story. "From what he said, he'll be in intensive care for at least two weeks, and then he'll be moved into a standard recovery room from there. After that, it's discretionary when it comes to his release."

"What I want to know is how it got so bad." Caro sat next to Subaru, gripping her leg in a show of support.

"Unh. I can understand the starvation because of the food shortage, but what about the exhaustion and oxygen deprivation?" Tea agreed. "And why are you still okay?"

"That's best explained through the rest of the story desu." Rein took a deep breath as everyone turned their attention towards her. "After Soran-kun confirmed that the…."

After Soran confirmed that the Caster was indeed a type 0, he went back to mining the Caster Spring with new hope in his eyes. "We might as well get as much as we can while the getting is good, and take off tomorrow morning." He had said before he left. Before the day was over, he had returned with three more crates of Casters, leaving Gillium to sort through them all. That night, the both of them slept soundly, smiling softly as they snored.

The next morning…

'Connected. Connected. Connected. Final connection lock release.' Rein curled up into a ball as the interface cylinder rose onto the bridge. The metal paneling slid out of the way and she opened her eyes, seeing the viewscreen. 'I'm ready.'

"Barrage Zwei. Set up!" Soran's barrier jacket coalesced upon him and he flew out of the airlock, towards the surface of the asteroid. When he landed, he looked up at the ship's bridge. "Rein, activate Salvage Arms. Gillium, I want you to relay any stress points to me so I can dig them out. We'll try to avoid a hull breach."

"_Understood, Soran._"

'Yokhai.' Rein said as she activated the arms, stretching the fingers out wide. 'You know, I just realized that when I'm in this thing, I don't say "desu". I wonder why that is.'

"We'll worry about that another time. Give it a nudge." The red and black arms smacked the rock and pushed against it. The ship moved slightly. "Gillium?"

"_Minor stress levels. Easily within tolerable range."_

"Rein, give it more juice. Increase pressure slowly and keep an ear out for Gillium's warnings. When you hear one, hold and back off just slightly."

Reinforce pressed her hands against the glass and began to push. After a few rumbling minutes "_Alert, Alert. Stress in nose armor is reaching the toleration limit. Location, starboard section C."_

'Backing off.'

"So we've got a barb. I guess we'll have to burn it out." Rainbow Zwei popped out of Barrage and expanded into its staff form. He pointed it at the hull of the ship in that section.

"_Inferno._" Flames poured forth from the staff, entering the crack between the ship and rock.

"_External temperature rising."_

"Try it now, Rein!" The metal creaked, but they managed to get further out. "Gillium, try using the reverse thrusters in the nose. We'll try popping it out all at once."

"_Understood._" A burst of force emerged from the cracks, shaking up the rocks as half-melted globs flew past Soran.

Soon, the entire nose had emerged. "We're clear!"

'Yay! I'll right the ship and prepare for the jump.' Rein used the arms to drag the ship away from the bore hole and flipped it over so that its engines were on the surface.

As the shadow moved away from the hole, a glint of gold caught Soran's eye. "Uh? Barrier Jacket, Active Guard." He dove into the tube and reached his hand into the darkness. He gripped something and brought it back to the surface. In the light he opened his palm. "I don't believe it. It was here all along. A type 0, quite literally right under our nose."

'At least we have a spare now.'

He pocketed the three shells and landed on the nose of the ship. "Let me just remind you now that this will not completely rescue us. I'm aiming to get into open space only. Dark Trinity weapons, full limiter release! Maximum power!"

"_Gillium Form._"

Soran twirled the Caster-formed staff and pointed it straight towards a cleared area. "Hatch open." Barrage opened the loading hatch and belched some steam. "Load number 0."

"_Loading 0."_ The hatch closed and the shell hit the barrel. Kiryu and Garyu flipped over, extending their black wings forward in the shape of a Y.

Soran concentrated on his target, the open space in a dimension, and closed his eyes. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

'Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa.' Rein was chanting with him, praying for his success.

The Caster glowed bright as the barrel started to spin. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." As he continued to chant, the long black wings stretched out further and thinner, until they were tiny black strings, whipping around so fast that it looked like a giant cone had spread out in front of the ship. A black spot swelled on the tip of the gun. Soran opened his eyes. "Let us breach the unknown. Pagua sun faire!" The cone became solid black in color, and Soran fired the shot. The black spot flew out to the cone's focal point and halted, drawing the walls together until it became a swirling black disk in the middle of slipstream.

'Engines online, all ahead half!' Rein commanded, and the retros came to life, pushing the ship forward.

'I will make it home.' Soran thought to himself as they closed in. 'With this piece of my family's legacy, I will make it home!' The ship was swallowed by the swirling blackness. In slipstream, the singularity shrank and disappeared in an explosion that sent the walls rippling.

"Soran-kun. Soran-kun! Mou, wake up desu!"

Soran gasped as his eyes snapped open, sitting up in a flash. "Rein? What…?"

"_We warped into open space._" Gillium spoke from his pink cylinder.

Soran looked around, realizing he was in the airlock. "How did I get here?"

"The jump was probably too much for you even in your jacket desu. You passed out. I was able to grab you before you were out of range though desu."

"Okay then." Soran grunted as he stood. "Stellar cartography. Gillium, where are we?"

"_That was normally your mother's department. Unfortunately I have no star charts for this dimension._"

"Rein?"

"Can't help you desu."

Soran sighed. "Well we can't fly anywhere without knowing where we're going. Besides we don't have any maneuvering unless I get out and push. That leaves only one thing. Gillium, take a recording, please."

"_Recording._"

"Mayday! This is TSAB Second Lieutenant Soran Berkt to any vessel within the sound of my voice! We have lost maneuvering and navigation and are adrift. We have no more supplies. Please send help immediately!"

"_Recording stopped. I will broadcast this through the ship's communications system. Is there any certain frequency you wish to use?"_

"Just make it general. I have no idea if any TSAB ships are around."

"_Understood._"

Soran sighed. "And now we wait."

"Mayday! This is TSAB Second Lieutenant Soran Berkt to any vessel within the sound of my voice! We have lost maneuvering and navigation and are adrift. We have no more supplies. Please send help immediately!"

"Mayday! This is TSAB Second Lieutenant Soran Berkt to any vessel within the sound of my voice! We have lost maneuvering and navigation and are adrift. We have no more supplies. Please send help immediately!"

"Mayday! This is TSAB Second Lieutenant Soran Berkt to any vessel within the sound of my voice! We have lost maneuvering and navigation and are adrift. We have no more supplies. Please send help immediately!"

For three days, they drifted. Rein stayed in the cockpit, constantly searching for anything within sensor range, only taking breaks to sleep. For Soran, all he could do was sleep, and drink. Water was the only thing left aboard. Though Gillium had found a way to fortify it with vital nutrients, it was nearly impossible to gag down, and Soran's stomach ached from the lack of food. To take his mind off his pain, he slept, as that same message replayed in space over and over again, as the red ship from another dimension slowly turned and drifted.

On the fourth day, Soran made his way up to the bridge and fell forward at Rein's floating feet. "I'm sorry. I should have dug faster. I didn't give us enough time." He whispered.

'It's not your fault, Soran-kun.' Rein shook her head. 'It was a team effort, and we've done what we could. It would have been no better had we stayed in Slip….' Her eyes went wide. 'Sensor contact! One, two, three, no, five small ships heading towards us at intercept speed!'

"Uh?!" Soran turned around and looked at the screen as Rein brought it up. "That's strange. Those aren't rescue ships, those are two person shuttles. Why are they out here?"

The lead shuttle unfolded a pair of claws which clacked together. "Oi, is anyone still alive in there?"

'Soran-kun, should I….'

"DON'T ANSWER!" He whipped around quickly. "They're scrappers. They knew we were dying and waited, the bastards!"

"I'm going to ask again, is anyone still alive in there? If not, I'll be taking possession of that pretty ship of yours." A video screen popped up in front of the man's face. "Oh?" A boy was hunched over the cockpit, and there was a naked sprite floating belly up in the tank to his left. "They bit it. The message is on auto. Whale Hunters, move in. We've got a nice prize this time! Team four, move in and board her. The rest of you surround her."

The pods engaged their grappling arms as the fourth in the formation flew to the airlock. "We're docking now." The seal held as they hit. "Capture complete. Proceeding to secure the interior." The two men in the pod opened the airlock door. "Uh?!"

In front of them was a boy with enraged purple eyes. "Buster." The orange light enveloped them and their ship, sending it flying before it exploded in space.

"Lasse!" The leader gasped. The Star stretched out its arms and grabbed two of the shuttles, crushing them. "It's a possum!"

A bright flash of light came from the hatch and rose into battle. "Haaaaaaahhhh!" Soran yelled as he came upon the leader, his axe at the ready.

"Kgh!" The enemy grunted as he caught the weapon barehanded. "So you're that TSAB scum, huh?!"

Soran didn't respond, other than putting Barrage against the glass and pulling the trigger. "You bastard!" The other vectored in on him, engaging cutters on the claws.

He looked backwards. "_Variable Bullet._" Soran squeezed the staff, and the shuttle was rent through.

"Don't touch my ship." Soran snarled.

'Soran-kun! Another wave is heading this way. These ones are armed!'

"Kgh!" He turned towards the sparks of light.

"_Barrier Jacket charge, 70 percent."_

"They've stained their hands with the blood of our crew! We won't let them escape!" Five assault shuttles vectored in, their weaponry glowing hot. "UTEI!"

Soran landed on the hull and raised a hand, putting up his magical barrier, which took all of the shots. He looked up at them in a glare. "_Crossfire Shot._"

Balls of glowing energy appeared around him, and he raised his staff up. "NERAI WA UTZ!" They all hurtled forward. The two in the rear broke off before the attack punctured the other three. "Tch!"

'Your reaction time is way too slow. Soran, you're exhausted. I'm coming out to unison with you.'

"Negative, stay in there! I need you to pilot the Star! I can handle this!" He jumped off as his three other keys formed on his left arm. The two remaining enemies swooped in from the sides. "Egh!" He jumped off and opened the dragon's mouth. "Thunder Rage!" Ropes of lightning lashed out at the closest one, detonating the fuel cell.

'I don't have any maneuvering though!'

"Then I'll just have to rectify that!"

The other craft rammed him hard. "You prick! Why couldn't you have just starved to death?!"

"Look who's calling who a prick!" Soran snarled as he smashed his left arm through the window, gripping the man's waist. "You sat there for three days and waited for us to die! You guys are no better than murderers!" He tossed him out the window, where he perished. Soran got in the cockpit and steered it into the salvage arm's path, putting the engine on full burn. "Rein, catch!" He bailed.

The ship slammed into the Star's hand, and the arm manipulated it so the ship could turn with the engine. 'Good thinking, Soran! Uh?! Oh no, they're really serious! Heavy weapons craft incoming!'

"Destroy the Bloody Demon of the Stars! Salvaging the ship doesn't matter anymore! Junk it!" Three larger ships with beam cannons bore down on them, firing in intervals.

"Where do they keep coming from?!" Soran rushed in and blocked a shot with his shield as Rein rolled the ship to dodge another. The third shot was aimed at Soran, and he took it in the dragon head. He dropped down to the deck again. "Haah… haah…" Soran forced himself up. "HRUNH!" He crossed his arms and his triple shield appeared above him, deflecting the shot. "Rein, try to stay under the shield!" He leapt through the barrier and dove for the enemies.

"_Barrier Jacket charge, 50 percent._"

"Choke on this!" One of the pilots grunted as two torpedoes launched from the underside of the craft.

Soran tilted between them and they just kept on going. "Missiles?! Rein!"

"_Activating anti-air defenses._" On the hull a machine cannon extended its barrel and fired, shooting down the first attack. Rein slid the ship to the side to evade the second, detonating it in the engine backwash.

"KISAMA!" Soran snarled as he dove under and planted a strong uppercut in the middle of the gunboat. He flipped Barrage into the hole and unleashed hell. The explosion blew him away. "Haah… haah…."

"It's the mage! Target the mage! He's trying to pick us off!"

Both of the gunboats targeted him from opposite sides. They each fired their cannons, Soran's armor taking the blow. "Eguh…." Soran grunted as his head slumped.

'Soran-kun!'

"Now! Ram him! Crush the bastard!"

Soran smirked. "_Cyclone._" His elemental wall went up, sending them spiraling above him.

"GeeeAAAHHH!" He slashed the cockpit of one open as he ascended to attack. He punched his weapon through the other's armor and opened the dragon's mouth. Sparks flew and the ship blew seconds after he removed his fist. Soran's body went limp as he floated there.

'Soran… AGH!' Rein cried and his eyes snapped open. A shell had detonated just inches in front of the armor. 'I found their battleship. It's coming up on us right now! It's got massive shielding and weapons loadouts. We can't beat this thing!'

Soran reached into his pocket and pulled out the shells. "Zero, two, and eight."

"_Barrier Jacket charge, 35 percent."_

"Full limiter release. I'm going to use type 8, Rein!"

"_Gillium Form!_"

'Type 8? Wait, Soran, you can't do that! You'll be too far away!'

The wings spread. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

'Don't do it, Soran-kun! Gillium, cut all power and give me overboost on engines! Even life support!'

"_Acknowledged. Rerouting all available power to the engines."_

"Tch. This is TSAB Military ve…." The communications cut out.

Soran grabbed both bars tightly. "Feel the wrath of the stars! PAGUA SUN FAIRE!" He and his weapons soared forward in a beam of dark light as it shattered the battleship's shield and burrowed deep into the heart of the vessel. Laying the quantum singularity, the rest of the momentum cut him through the other half of the ship. As the metal demon collapsed in on itself, he looked back over his shoulder. "I told you. Don't touch my ship." The singularity exploded, destroying every trace of the battleship. "Uuuhhh." Soran went limp.

"_Warning. Warning. Barrier jacket charge at 3 percent. Return to base. Return to base. Oxygen synthesization system failure. Warning. Warning."_

"Aaahhh… Uuuuhhh!" Soran's hands went to his throat and chest.

'Soran-kun!' Rein rushed for him, tears dissolving in the liquid. 'SORAN-KUN!'

As he fell unconscious, he saw a bright flash of turquoise light.

Everyone was wide eyed, leaning forward, holding their breaths. "Um… um…." Rein sweatdropped. "Y-you're scaring Rein desu."

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS NEXT?!" Hayate was the one who exploded, taking everyone off guard.

"Um… um…. That turquoise light was a TSAB vessel that jumped dimensions after hearing our transmission. I didn't know it was coming because the comm. system went down. They scooped up Soran right away, and Rein soon after, since I had cut life support. Two days later, we were here."

Caro fainted in relief, or maybe it was because she was still holding her breath. Either way, she collapsed onto Erio, who then collapsed from shock. Subaru sighed, pressing her hand to her heart. "Soran…"

Nanoha sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye. "It's cruel how many times we've almost lost him."

"I was so scared." Fate pulled out a handkerchief and blew. "I'm going to need a lot more snuggling tonight, Nanoha-chan."

"Me too, Fate-chan."

"Nanoha." Signum pulled up her terminal and started typing. "Did you say he will be moved out of intensive care in two weeks?"

"Unh. Why?"

"If things go as scheduled, a date of certain significance to that boy occurs then."

"Eh?" The entire room blinked.

"Okay, let me go in and make sure he's not asleep." Vita said as she whispered to the people behind her, carrying balloons, flowers, cake, and presents. "Uh? Hey! Where's Subaru?"

"She must be at the bathroom or something." Tea shrugged. "There's no way in hell she'd miss Soran's birthday. She'll catch up."

"Yeah, you're right." Vita opened the door a crack and peeked in. Her green eye went wide as she shut the door again. Turning around she scratched the back of her head. "Found her."

"Tch! How'd she get ahead of us?" Nanoha clucked.

"Well, for the next couple of hours, I have a feeling that it's going to be a private party." Vita sweatdropped as she looked back at the door. "There's nothing to see here, so let's move on. We'll try again later. Now shoo, shoo!" The others groaned as she ushered them out. 'Subaru…' She thought. 'It may be Soran's birthday, but I know it's a special day for you too. Enjoy it.'

In the closed room, Subaru and Soran were locking lips as she leaned over him. "So how do you like your get well soon present?"

"I'm enjoying it quite a lot. Oh yeah." They kissed again.

"Now for your birthday present." She winked.


	14. Chapter 14

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 14

A large white stone stake was slammed on the head by a giant red and gold hammer. "Five." Vita backed away as she looked at the five stools, put together in a circle around a central table.

Soran observed it and lowered his head. "You got your wish, Dad. You're reunited with your friends again. You five were the points that made up the Star, and now you can stay together, in this formation, where you worked the best, regretting nothing, enjoying everything." A tear ran down his cheek. "With this you can finally have your peace, all of you."

Hayate put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed tightly, as he looked up from his wheelchair with a sad smile on his face. She turned around to the filed ranks. "Company, attention!" They stood straighter in unison. "Present arms!" They all saluted. An image was projected above the memorial of Chrono's ship as the three bodies were shot into the sun, followed by those that did not survive the rescue operation. "We are gathered here today to pay our final respects to our honored dead, and vow that they have not died in vain. We return them to the stars, from whence they came. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, amen." She lowered her hand as the transmission cut. "Company, dismissed!"

The ranks broke apart, and the forwards grouped around Soran, offering words of support. Soran sighed and looked up. "Heh. 'and vow that they have not died in vain.' No offense, Daicho, but you should have left that part out."

"Unh." Hayate looked guiltily away. "I had to because of procedure though. Soran-kun, you know I meant no insult by it."

"I know. I'm sorry." Soran sighed, shaking his unhappiness out of his head. "It still is a beautiful memorial. Thank you for helping me with it, everyone."

"Soran-kun, it's the least we could do." Nanoha gave her signature smile. "We know how much your parents mean to you. I'm just sorry your adoptive father couldn't make it."

"Well with that rock in slipstream, dimensional travel is going to take longer. Really that can't be helped." Soran shrugged. "On to the next order of business. Where's my ship? I want to take Subaru there, and fill in Gillium about what happened today."

"Eh? Your ship?" Hayate blinked.

"You know, the Star? The ship that Rein and I escaped slipstream on? The one that my father commanded?"

Hayate desperately turned to someone to help her. Fate lowered her head, and Zaphila covered his face with his paws. "Oh boy…" Vita shook her head. "Hate to break it to you, brat, but TSAB has claimed possession of it for study."

"WHAT?!" Soran yelled.

"And they seized its cargo too." Fate winced. "Also for research purposes."

"You're saying that just because they've never seen it before, TSAB has seized a personal item without consultation to the owner? And the cargo… you know how much time and energy I spent on mining those Casters?! And I don't… wait… they're not going to dismantle her, are they?!"

"Well, the research institute wants to inspect every piece of the technology, since it's a different make than any universe we've seen." Fate answered again.

"LIKE HELL THEY'RE TAKING APART MY SHIP!" Soran stood up suddenly, tossing his wheelchair away.

"Soran!" Subaru gasped, quickly rushing to his side to give him a shoulder to lean on.

He snubbed it as he slowly tromped over to Hayate on his unsteady legs. "You get the brass on the horn right now! That is my ship they're taking apart, and I won't stand for it! Seizing personal effects without a warrant or permission from the party has to be an illegal act!"

"That's true… t-that's true!" Hayate's eyes brightened. "If I say if the Star was a part of your father's estate which you received, then it can be considered a personal effect! Soran-kun, hang on, and I'll try to work some magic." She rushed back to her office.

"Soran!" Ginga rushed up to him and Subaru at the lunch table and gave him a hug. "I'm glad you're okay! I'm sorry I couldn't make it until today, but I've been so swamped!"

"Thanks." He said quickly, before returning to tapping his finger on the table rapidly.

"Uh?" She blinked.

"It's about the ship." Subaru put the topic in alignment.

"Oh, I heard about that from Fate-sempai." Ginga shook her head. "It's really not fair. Just because you were on the mend, they decided not to wait for you to claim possession of it."

"It's bureaucratic bullshit is what." Soran snarled.

"I couldn't agree with you more, Soran-kun." The doors opened to admit Fate. "Although I would put it in kinder terms."

"Fate-san, is there…." Subaru looked hopeful.

She shook her head, her long blonde hair following a few seconds later. "They're dodging her. Not answering the line, not returning calls, and saying the party is missing. They know exactly what she's trying to do."

"So they're stalling until they can finish everything they set out to do." Ginga pursed her lips. "It looks like you were right to send me on that hunt after all."

"Huh? Hunt? What hunt?" Soran looked up.

"Soran, none of the TSAB bases has your ship. Fate-san predicted this might happen, and had me investigate it independently. They've concealed its location."

"Then how are we supposed to find it?!" Soran stood up again, but this time his legs didn't hold.

"Gotcha!" Subaru caught him and held him tight.

"TSAB bases might not have it, but there's a loophole in the rules that says that subcontractors aren't considered bases of operations."

"Sub…contractors…." Soran slapped his forehead. "I know just where it is then. Damn!"

"Any luck there?" A man stood at the base of the upturned red armor, spotlights on certain parts of the ship.

"None! There doesn't seem to be any welds on this armor at all. I don't think we'll be able to take her apart from the outside!" A workman in a hard hat called down.

"Egh! And the locks are sealed tight with a vacuum atmosphere. If we rupture it, the entire ship will collapse in on itself." The foreman grunted. "Okay, I'm granting the use of the first level cutters. Just get the armor off. I don't want this thing breached, understand?!"

"Yes sir!"

A man turned to the supply room, and was instantly thrown on his back. "BWAH!" Before anyone could react, the entire hangar went dark.

In the blackness, two figures raced for the ship, jumping and landing on the forward hatch. "Gillium, it's me. Confirm voiceprint and let us in, hurry!" The male figure whispered.

A little light blinked on the airlock panel, and the entire ship sighed as it sucked in air, relieving the stress. The figures dove in and shut the airlock again. "_Thank goodness you're here, Soran. They've been trying to find a way to dismantle the Star for weeks!_" Gillium bobbed up and down on his track.

"Sorry about that, Gillium." Soran removed the black mask from his face. "It took me a while to track you down." He opened up his bag. "Rein, you know the plan."

"Hai desu!" She flew out, also dressed in black, and grabbed onto Gillium's back. "Bridge, Gillium."

"_Understood."_

"Soran, what about us?" Subaru tore off her mask too and tied her headband back on her head.

"Follow me, Su." Soran took her hand and raced through the halls. A light shone through one of them. He pushed her to the wall and pinned her, their noses rubbing against each other as they hid.

"S-Soran-kun." Subaru blushed.

The light moved away, and he sighed in relief, giving her a short kiss on the lips before moving on. They stopped in front of his parents' personal quarters and tossed her in, closing and locking the door behind him. "Okay." He sighed.

"Where are we, Soran-kun?"

"My parents' room." He said as he brought her to the bed and gently placed her in it.

"S-Soran! This… this your folks… I mean… I'm not ready for this! We're too young!"

"Shhh. Just relax and everything will be fine." He joined her, curling up next to her.

"We shouldn't do this! I mean look at the situation we're in! I mean if… oh, I'm not ready Soran!"

"Well it's a bit too late now."

She gasped. "Soran… okay… do it. As long as it's you." The entire bed started tilting towards the wall. "Eh? EEHH?!"

Soran silenced her with a kiss as they tumbled into another chamber. Soran stood up and turned a single solitary light on. In the chamber was a few small crates, a workbench, and a food cabinet. "Sorry Su, I couldn't tell you about this place until now."

"Eh? Eh?" Subaru looked around. "Wait, the whole bed thing was just to get me into this room?"

"Yep. This is a ship foxhole. I was surprised to find it."

Subaru pouted. "You got me all worried and excited for this?!"

"Your reaction was priceless, what can I say? Itte!" Soran winced as a lump appeared on his head. "Don't use your metal fist!"

"Baka." Subaru huffed. "So why are we here anyway?"

"Make sure to keep this a secret, but I put away a collection of Casters in here, just in case someone stole the ship. I know that even if I get the Star back, TSAB will still want the cargo, and I can't stop them from taking it." Soran picked up a cartridge clip from a crate and sliced open his mechanical arm, placing it inside. It made Subaru wince. Red bonding fluid began to ooze from the cut, and Soran wrapped it tight so it would seal. "There's also something here for you."

"Huh?" She turned to him, and he placed something in her hands. She opened it to see nine golden cylinders arranged in a pattern on a string. "These are…."

"A collection of used casters." Soran smiled. "I remembered how the attractive properties of the used shells work, and I made a necklace out of them for you. This way, if ever we're apart, we'll always be able to come back together again." He kissed her before putting the necklace over her head.

"Thank you Soran. So you have the tenth shell for yourself?" She hugged him tightly, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"No. I just couldn't find a used number 9 shell, or else I would have made you a complete set. Come on. We still have to finish this."

"Someone report! Why aren't those backup generators online! Get more flashlights! We need more flashlights!"

"Sir! The power cables have been completely cut, and someone bled the fuel out of the backups!"

"What?! Who did that?! Who's the guilty party?!"

"Criminals shouldn't talk about guilty parties so lightly!" A voice called from above the Star. "What do you think you're doing to a person's private property?"

"Bastard! Show yourself, you coward!"

"With pleasure."

"_Sonnenergie Funke._" Kiryu and Garyu spoke. Four bright balls of light lit up from hidden magical generators in the corners of the room.

Soran, standing on the nose of the Star, pointed Barrage at the crowd of workers below him. "I am TSAB Lieutenant Soran Berkt. I am hereby placing you all under arrest for illegal possession and defacement of private property!"

"As if that means shit to us!" The foreman yelled as he and the other workers raised guns at him.

"Gillium." A single shot from the anti-air gun by the airlock punctured the ground.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Subaru had her arm clamped around the foreman's neck. "Do the smart thing and tell them to lower their weapons."

"Kgh!" The man growled. "This is how the TSAB treats subcontractors?!"

"Not all. Just the ones who decide they are above the rules. Now get them to drop them!"

"Rrrhh!" The foreman snarled as he elbowed Subaru in the stomach. She lost her grip as he made his break. "Everyone run for it!" The workers dashed for the exits on either side.

"Pathetic." Soran sighed. "REINFORCE ZWEI!" The Star's Salvage Arms broke free of the ship's armor and slammed into the exits, covering them with debris, trapping them all in. "Now, as I was saying, you're all under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will…."

Soran sat with his legs crossed atop the leather sofa as the doors to the Mustang Magitech's President's office opened. The burly Mustang Belt stomped forward into the room without saying anything. The doors closed behind him. "Well you look ragged." Soran spoke jokingly. "How many dimensions did you have to jump through on your way back?"

"Twelve." He grumbled. "I need a bottle of plum wine badly. And from what Ms. Gild tells me, I should probably make it two."

"Let's just start you off with a glass." Soran went to the wine cabinet and poured him a drink. "Did you read the report yet?" He put it down next to the man.

"Seeing that your name was on the cover was enough to know you'd be coming here anyway."

"I'll spare you the details then. In the Slipstream Rescue I got stuck and found a ship that helped me to escape. Turns out it was my Father's ship. The sub-contracted employees from Mustang Magitech stole the ship and refused to give it back, so I had to take it by force. A few people resisted arrest and got injured, but not seriously. However you'll be out of 50 workers until their trial is over."

"TRIAL?!" Mustang crushed his glass. "What the hell were you thinking, Soran? Those were people you've known for years! And this is how you repay their kindness?!"

"Kind people don't raise guns against you! You should be the grateful one, considering I managed to talk my superiors into not bringing charges against you as well! I fought with them long and hard, saying that you had no knowledge of their actions and were out of contact, and thus not responsible!"

Belt slammed his fist into the table and stood. "That still doesn't excuse your actions! You're a traitor to this company!"

"How dare you say that to me?! I know full well everything you've done and are doing with this company, and I have not said a word about it! I have made sure that this company has been off of their radar screen for everything until now! Even if I've despised it, I never said a word! Even through the knowledge that that bastard Scaglietti created my original arm, I kept quiet!" Soran looked at his cybernetic arm and made a fist. "And the one time, ONE TIME, when I come to defend the legacy of my biological father, you call me a traitor?! Take your plum wine and shove it!" He panted, his voice hoarse from yelling.

Belt stood there, staring at him. His look softened and he sighed, moving to get himself another glass. "You're right of course. You have kept us under the TSAB radar until now, and you even have kept me out of trouble with this one. Even now you still bodyguard me." He turned around and took a sip. "But it still means you have brought unwanted attention towards us. That and your commanders already know about the Casters. This will make it very difficult for us from now on."

"What are you saying?"

"Ever since you joined TSAB, your loyalties have been split. I know it's been tough on you, but now, I think it's time you decide where your true loyalties lie. If it's with TSAB, I'll cut you loose. If it's me, then you'll have to resign your commission. Think hard, Soran. You'll have to pick one or the other, lest you become a liability to both."

Soran looked into his watch. "Sorry it took so long, Commander. Turns out his flight hadn't returned. I'm going to head back to HQ right now."

"Oh don't worry about that, Soran-kun." Hayate waved him off. "I've given the team the day off. A big thanks for a job well done. I'm sending you the team's locations if you want to meet up with them." A map appeared with different colored blinking dots. "Have fun, Soran-kun!"

"Thank you Commander. You should really take some time off yourself too someti…." The transmission blipped out. "Well how do you like that? She actually hung up on me." Soran sighed. "Loyalties split. Choose a side. There's nothing wrong with the way I'm doing things!" He turned around and shook his fist at the skyscraper. "But I guess I should get caught up."

Caro was happily window shopping with an ice cream in her hand. Fried decided not to go with her, the little male dragon more interested in Erio's trip to the video arcade than shopping. As she was about to pass to the next store, a reflection caught her eye. It was one of someone that looked like Soran, ducking low and motioning to her, mouthing "Over here!"

'Soran-san?' She sent him a telepathic connection.

He waved his hands and shook his head desperately. He put his finger to his mouth and did a shushing motion, pointing to his head and then waving his fingers under his neck. "You come here!" He mouthed. Soran pressed his back against the brick again, looking up at the roofs wildly.

"What are you doing, Soran-san? And in full jacket too." Caro appeared right next to him.

He leapt back two steps and then rushed forward, clamping his hand over her mouth. "Shh! He's back!" He whispered in her ear. "The person that tried to get me with that Type Four… he's after me again."

Caro's eyes went wide. 'How do you know?'

"No! Nononono! I don't know how, but he can track telepathy magic! I tried to put out a call, and it brought him straight to me." Something caught Soran's eye. "Get down!" He pushed off the wall and covered her. A bullet hole appeared right where his hand was before. "Tch!" He rolled off of her and looked at the damage. "Let's go!"

"Unh!" Caro took his hand and started running through the alleys. She raised her wrist to her face. "This is Lightning 4 of TSAB Section 6, under enemy sniper fire. Anyone in range, please respond!"

"Don't bother! Egh!" He kicked off a wall, grabbing her in the process, diving into another alley as another bullet hole appeared. "He's using some sort of wide area dampening field. You were the closest to my position, so I came for backup."

"Can we make it to the others, or at least into telepathic range?" Caro panted. "Over here!" She pushed him behind a dumpster and hid as well.

"I've been trying ever since we joined up, but if you look at his bullet placing, he keeps cutting us off. It's almost as if… ah!" Soran's eyes went wide.

"As if he knows where the others are! Soran-san, we have to hurry and contact them before it's too late!"

A bullet embedded itself into the wall at the far end of the alley. "Tch. He's found us. Damn it, I can't tell where he's shooting from!"

"Kercleyon. Set up!" Her jacket, cape, and hat flashed onto her. She squatted down and closed her eyes. A soft "thup" reached her ears from above the rooftops. "He's using a silencer. But I can tell, just barely!" She jumped out of hiding.

"Caro!"

"Wheel Protection!" She put her right glove forward and Kercleyon spread two small wings that spun, creating a cyclone, swallowing up the enemy on the roof, blowing it away.

"Uh?!" Soran looked to the other side. "LOOK OUT!" He shoved her against the wall as a bullet punctured his cape. "Egh! Two snipers! Come on!"

"Unh!" Caro gasped and blushed. Yet again he saved her. "Soran-san…."

"Damn it, no wonder I couldn't pin him down! There were two of them!" Soran paused at a corner, looking back and forth. Then he looked to his hand and pushed off again. "Shit!" He enveloped Caro as an explosion blew them to the side. "Exploding shells now? Come on!"

"Soran-san, we're going to get hit if we just keep running like this! We have to get them to… agh!" Another explosion came in proximity to her, a rock cutting her above the eyebrow.

"Caro!" He pulled her into another alley and picked her up as she recovered.

"We… we have to get them to come to us. Snipers aren't as good inside as they are out. We have to get into one of the buildings!" She got back on her feet.

"Ah, I understand. Barrage!"

"_Okay boss._" His key began to glow blue.

"We'll go here!" Soran shoved the key into the lock of a back alley door.

"_Hacking._"

Caro looked back and forth at the rooftops. "Agh!" Her eye caught a silver twinkle on one side. "Soran… one is…."

"Hurry Barrage!"

"Now the second…." Caro trembled. "Soran-san, if they shoot, they won't miss!"

"Got it!" The door fell open and the two of them tumbled in as the ground underneath them a split second before exploded.

"Woah!" Caro screamed as she tripped. "Active Protection!" A shield appeared in the darkness as she tumbled down the steps.

"Round Shield!" Soran followed her into the blackness, slamming into and toppling down the stairwell.

"Soran-san! Soran-san!" Caro shook him lightly as he opened his eyes.

"Caro?" His vision cleared, seeing her worried face in Kercleyon's ethereal glow. "You hurt at all?" He grunted as he got up.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. I was going to ask the same of you."

"I'll live, assuming we get out of here." Soran looked around into the darkness. "If we find out where 'here' is." Rainbow extended from his keychain and it lit up brightly. "A hallway…."

"Soran-san…." Caro latched onto his arm. "I have a bad feeling about this place."

"Yeah… me too. But we can't go back the way we came." Soran sighed. He mounted Rainbow on his back, shining the light ahead of him as he pulled out the glowing Kiryu and Garyu. "Be on guard."

Ahead of them, they saw blinking lights, flashing rapidly in a random pattern. As they got closer, they could see that the tiles on the floor were themselves flashing on and off. "What do you think it is?" They stopped in front of it. "It's a bit too obvious to be a trap."

"But it's a bit too ridiculous to be a decoration too." Soran pulled a coin out of his pocket and tossed it onto the field. It landed square in the middle of one of the tiles.

"See? Nothing's wrong." Caro stepped forward.

"WAIT!" He grabbed her by the cape and pulled her back. "Look at the coin. The lights aren't touching it. The panel won't light up." He pulled another one out and flipped it into the air. "Rainbow."

"_Inferno._" A flamethrower shot out over his shoulder, roasting the coin.

"Hep! EGH!" He hopped up and kicked the glowing coin. Once it hit the field, all the lights congregated on it and sent it jumping from electrical attacks. "Heat sensors. Those snipers were leading us here. This entire building is probably one big fucking trap." Caro stared at him with a surprised look. "Sorry Little Princess, I get really crass when I'm pissed. I can't help it."

"Unh." She shook her head. "It's okay. More importantly, what are we going to do?"

"Well something tells me we won't be able to fly over."

"And I'm not fast enough to run along the walls."

"Looks like that wouldn't matter either. They might have tiles on the walls too."

"What about your Lightning and Glacial Busters?"

"Electricity attracts electricity. If anything I'd be feeding it more power. And Glacial Buster freezes a target. It itself doesn't create ice. It's also too dangerous to use on us."

"Then maybe I can help." Caro went back a few feet, closing her eyes and spreading her arms. A pink magical circle appeared before her. "World of atoms and elements come forth. Coalesce into the form I desire! Wrought Iron Summon!" Pink veins spread out on her gloves and the floor underneath the circle twisted and writhed until it made a large slab of metal. She opened her eyes again. "Wrought Iron Summoning, it's a Caro Ru Lushe special." She winked.

"When we get back I'm treating you to ice cream, Little Princess. Barrage!" His staff appeared in his hand. "Encase this world in eternal ice!"

"_Glacier._"

He jammed the shooting staff into the plate. "Glacial Buster." It became completely enveloped in a thick coating of ice. "Hop on!"

Caro leapt onto the slab of icy metal and Soran gave a big heave, running pel mel towards the flashing lights. "Get on quick, Soran!"

"Hep!" He leapt on and they started sliding, the lights running up the wall, away from the cold. "Get your head down! It might still be able to sense the body heat!"

"We're coming up on a turn!"

"Stay in the center! Make sure you don't get close to the wall!" Rainbow, charged with ice magic, was stabbed and dragged across the wall until Soran pushed off again, making the turn without impacting the side.

"Way to go, Soraaaaaaaaaa!" The flashing lights stopped, but the slope dropped, accelerating them.

"They planned this too?! Aaaahhhhh!"

"I'm slipping! I'm slipping!" Caro gasped in panic as she tried to grasp a piece of the smooth icy metal.

"EGH!" Soran stabbed Kiryu into the center and stood up, grabbing her as she lost her grip. "I've got you!"

"Soran-san…." Caro blushed.

"Aw fuck!" Soran yelled. "A fork!"

Ahead of them and closing fast was a two path fork with a very sharp looking edge at the split. "Turn this thing, Soran-san!"

"There's no time! Bail out!" They both tucked and rolled as the metal clanged and twisted against the sharp fork. They slid to a stop next to each other. "Okay… this really is not my day." He grunted as he got on his knees.

"We still have a ways to go if we're going to save everyone." Caro panted, clawing the wall to get to standing position. "Uh? Soran-san!"

WHAM! A clear wall slid down between them, cutting them off from each other, and the different paths. "Ojou-chan!" Soran pounded on the glass, and she did the same. "Can you hear me?!" She shook her head. "Stand back!" He raised his staff to the glass.

"_Variable Bullet._" He squeezed the trigger and it just bounced off.

"Eh? Then how about a Double Variant?!" The twice-layered bullet fired and he had to duck before it ricocheted into his face. "Fuck! Kiryu, Garyu, Mole Mode!"

"_Stonessen!"_ Soran shoved the glowing drill at the glass, and it just bounced off, sending tiny little sparks flying.

"RGH! DAMN IT!" He slammed his mechanical fist into the wall so hard the false skin on the knuckle ripped.

"Soran-san…." Caro sighed from the other side of the glass and placed her hand where his fist was. He looked up, tears in his eyes. "Don't cry, Soran." She shook her head. "We're not dead. I know you can't hear me, but I hope my feelings can reach you. Let's go on, and meet up together later. I'm an elite of Section 6 as well, raised by the great Fate T. Harlown." She pressed her lips to the glass and backed away. "We'll see each other again." She turned and ran down the hall, leaving Soran pounding on the wall, mouthing her name.

Caro raced down her path at full speed. From panels on the walls and ceiling, different weapons popped up. Some of them shot restraint capsules while some fired actual bullets or even more deadly weaponry. "Booster Protection!" She cried as she raised her left hand. It took each attack, only slowing her down a little. She made a fist with her right hand as Kercleyon glowed. Multiple balls of light appeared around her wrist. "Wing Shooter!" She thrust her right hand forward, sending them flying into the weapons.

She did this three more times before she started huffing. "Just how long is this hallway?!" She stopped, panting, and yet she felt motion. "Wait a minute, I'm still moving? This isn't a hall! It's a moving walkway!" She turned around and dove into the emptiness behind her.

She fell, she fell far down until she hit the ground, going to her knees. In this wide room with nothing in it, a light turned on in front of her, revealing the far wall. "Hagh!" Her breath caught in her chest. "S-Soran-san?" He was strapped to the wall in the form of a crucifix by glowing chain bind spells. His head was slumped down, his devices were at his feet, all energy seemingly drained from them. "Soran-san!" She forced herself onto her feet and ran for him. "Soran-san! Soran-san!" She shook him.

"Heh. Heheh." He clamped his left hand around her neck, but the hand fell back, revealing an arm covered in black and gray metal armor. She struggled futilely as she was lifted higher into the air. A teenager pitched forward from Soran's body with green hair. "I finally have you." He looked up at her with enraged red eyes. "GIRLY! Kah! Kahkahkahkahkah!"


	15. Chapter 15

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 15

A teenager pitched forward from Soran's body with green hair. "I finally have you." He looked up at her with enraged red eyes. "GIRLY! Kah! Kahkahkahkahkah!"

"Engh! Deh!" Caro winced and strained, clawing against the armored fingers choking her. "Who… who are…." Her right hand gave up the fight.

"For all this time, setting up this trap, that's all you have to ask? Who am I?" The green haired teen smiled as he emerged fully from Soran, who seemed undamaged from the process. "You should think more about what I'm going to do to…."

"SHOOTING RAY!" She raised her fist to his chest and Kercleyon's wings fired.

"Dah!" The villain released her and fell to the side in a cloud of smoke.

Caro quickly got up and backed away, a magical shield on her left hand and her right hand prepped with her beam wings. "Ah!" As the dust cleared, the boy was smiling, none the worse for wear.

"That tickled, Girly!" He stood a little taller than Soran, all dressed in a black and gray barrier jacket that went up to his jawline. His hair was bright green, spiked and darkened in black streaks, and his eyes made him look like the devil himself. His left arm was covered in a thick black armor, the wrist and forearm wrapped by a type of cartridge system, similar to the Nakajima Knuckles, with a dark blue ID core on the shoulder.

"If you're the one that led us here, where is the real Soran Berkt?!"

"Oh? I'm impressed that you noticed that this one was a hologram." He snapped his fingers and Soran disappeared. "This however…." He snapped again and Soran appeared in the light, further away. "Is the real one."

"Soran-san!" Caro gasped. "I'll be right…."

"Pay attention to your enemy." He appeared next to her in a flash of green light and gave her a shield-shattering punch that sent her flying.

"_ACS Strike Fist, successful._" His device blinked in a male voice.

"Kgh!" Caro stood up quickly. "Wing Shooter!"

The enemy raised his fist to the wall and the air rippled around it. Suddenly he was ten feet to his right, her attacks missing completely. "_Air Pulse, successful._"

"Make that one instinctive."

"_Acknowledged._"

"Who are you, and why are you attacking us?!" Caro brought her shield in front of her. "I've never seen you before!"

"That's because I was erased… by your darling commander!" A ring of magic spheres appeared in front of him and he pointed forward. "Bang!"

Caro's eyes went wide as she jumped to the side. The energy bullets curved and whirled around her, landing and exploding at her feet. One impacted her shield, which absorbed the energy. "Erased? If you were erased, how are you even here?"

"_Arc Shooter, one of six successful._"

"Make adjustments and increase reaction time for faster enemies."

"_Acknowledged._"

"There won't be any faster enemies to deal with once I stop you!" Caro snarled, a pink circle underneath her.

"You?! The fullback of Section 6, Caro La Rushe, are going to stop me? Oh don't give me that surprised look. I know exactly who you are, and exactly what you're going to do."

"Mystical energies, flow through me and increase my strength! Boost up: Barrel Power!" She spread her arms. "Wing Shooter!" Hundreds of balls of light appeared in her magical circle. The enemy leapt into the air, avoiding the attack. "Kgh!" Caro's gaze followed, firing more at the airborne enemy.

The black Device twisted its barrel until it locked into a position and loaded a cartridge. "Crush!" He swung it down and fired a rippling burst of air.

"Kagh!" Caro was sent to her hands and knees as an intense pressure indented the ground she was under.

"_Pressure Pulse, successful._"

"Am I your guinea pig or something?" She gasped, struggling to move.

He landed next to her and sat on her back, crossing his legs and examining the nails on his right hand. "Well let's think about this logically. To defeat a teacher, you first need to know what the students have been taught. And since you're one of that demon's students, you're the first on the list to be destroyed."

"Get off me you fucking prick!" She grunted.

"Tch tch tch. Such language for a young innocent girl. Where did you learn that? Could it be from that one over there?" He motioned towards Soran.

Caro bent lower, stretching her hands and feet out to the edges of her magical circle. "Why are you doing this to us?"

"Because of your commander!" He grabbed her bangs and lifted her head up. "That demon took away everything from me, and erased me from existence. All that remains is the thirst for blood and revenge for that one white-jacketed bitch!"

"Y-you want Nanoha-san!" Caro gasped, wincing.

"Ah, that's right!" He slammed her face into the ground. "Takamachi Nanoha, the White Devil, pride of the TSAB, and savior of the world many times over."

"But why? Why are you doing this to me and Soran?" She lifted her head up again, her eyes tightly shut.

"Because I'm going to make that bitch know what it feels like. The agony and suffering of seeing the people around you disappear in a blaze of white light. The empty hatred that comes with having nothing left to lose. And in the end, you'll watch her. You'll watch her as I make her disappear!" He smashed her head into the cracked tile.

"Never." Caro grunted. She lifted her head, her nose bloody, as the pink circle glowed white hot. "ALCHEMIC CHAIN!" Her summoned chains shot into the air, throwing the vengeful boy away, wrapping around him and lifting him high into the air. She stood up, wiping the blood off with her sleeve. She ran over to the limp boy strapped to the wall.

"_You talk too much._"

"Shut up and figure it out already, Jor." The boy struggled against the binds.

"Soran! Soran-san!" Caro nudged him. "It's okay Soran-san! I'll heal you! Kercleyon!"

"_Physical Heal."_ She pressed her hands against his chest as Kercleyon's jewels glowed.

"_Enabling."_ Jor said, and black armor covered his right hand with long claws. Both armors began to vibrate, and the chains broke apart. "_Bind Shatter, successful._"

"Make that a manual option." The boy said as he landed.

"_Acknowledged._"

"Ah!" Caro gasped as she heard him take a step forward. "Soran-san, wake up!"

"I'm interested in finding out how you're going to heal someone who's already dead, girly!" He called to her.

"Eh?!" The energy disappeared from her hands. She looked up at Soran's face with wide, trembling eyes.

"But if you want to waste your time on that corpse, I'll let you indulge."

"Soran… san…." She lifted a hand to his cheek, and a tear ran down hers. Her legs went limp, her hand still outstretched and her eyes locked on his face as she went to her knees. "No…."

"He wasn't easy, I'll admit, but he just kept asking 'Where's Caro? What have you done with her?' throughout the whole fight. In the end I had to kill him just to shut his mouth. He just wouldn't stop." The pink-haired girl leaned forward, her tears hitting the floor loudly in her ears. "And I wanted him especially to be in the collection of spectators. But there's really nothing for it."

Caro gritted her teeth, sobbing as she raised her head. "Mou… ii…. It's fine, isn't it?" She whispered as her magic circle spread out under her in a four point summoning diamond. "I've had enough! VOLTAAAAAAAIIIIIIREEE!" She lifted her head into the air and screamed out the name of the Black Flame Dragon. The earth split behind her and amongst a volcano's flames rose the Alzas Guardian. Its solid yellow eyes opened, and it spread its four great wings, hitting the edges of the dark complex as it let forth a battlecry.

The green haired boy let out a whistle. "Ho ho ho!"

"_This will be fun._" His device blinked.

"Let's go, Jor!" He went forward in a flash of green light.

"Stop him." Caro whispered, and Voltaire's lower wing crossed his path. The armored fist punched through it and continued until he landed a blow smack dab inbetween the eyes.

"_ACS Strike Fist unsuccessful."_

"Eh?" He looked back as the hole sealed up. "Keh! Now you've made me mad!" Using his other hand, he slashed into Voltaire's armor with his armored claw.

"GUAAAHHH!" It cried, giving the enemy a headbutt back.

As he sailed to the ground, his fist went underneath him and let out a burst of air, slowing him until he was safely on the ground again. "Oh yeah, we're really going to have fun with this one. Jor, tactic development."

"_In progress._"

"Kercleyon, level three." Caro spoke hoarsely as she looked up at the boy with half-dead eyes.

"Wha? She has a level three?!"

Kercleyon's gloves extended down to her elbows, magical glowing veins running throughout them. They extended over her fingers, the elemental particles in the air solidifying metallic armor around them. Her shoes solidified with a hard coating and her hat disappeared. Caro's cape flared out behind her as she raised her hand to her face, closing her fist as her jewel glowed white hot. Within a half second, that fist was plowing into her enemy's cheek. "Aye!" She reared back her foot and sent it into his chest. A wave of black and gray washed over the target point as she made contact, sending him flying away. She backflipped into landing and prepped to defend a return attack.

"_Emergency armor activated._" Jor said as its master stood up, fingering the new breastplate. "_Analysis complete. Kercleyon Level Three: Melee fighting type. High speed acceleration due to levitation cape. She is using her summon's energy to strengthen her attacks._"

"Well that would explain how a fullback could pull a blow that drew blood." He wiped off the corner of his mouth. "Countermeasures?"

The revolver on his left arm rotated and clicked into place, extending a cylinder. "_Mid-range combat. Still working on combat strategies for Summon."_

He pulled out the cylinder with his clawed right hand and it extended into a glowing sword. "I'll keep her busy until then!" He dashed forward.

Caro narrowed her gaze and kicked off, intercepting him in the middle of the dark stadium. Their glowing weapons were the only things that indicated they were there, the flashing light as they connected, sword on fist and fist on fist. Each attack sent sparks flying as they deflected each other. "My name is Caro Ru Lushe! I am a member of the elite TSAB squadron Section 6, call sign Lightning 4! You have murdered one of my comrades and indicated your desire to harm others! I will use everything I have to ensure that will never happen!" Caro jumped backwards and Voltaire's fist came down from above.

"Egh!" He raised the flat of his blade above his head and braced it as the giant extremity came down. "Rrrrr!" He fought against Voltaire's strength, in the end, going down to a knee.

"I demand to know your name!" Caro sent a jarring roundhouse kick into him, flinging him back into the wall. "The name of the man who killed my friend!"

"Hahaha. Hahahahah!" The man stood up and walked forward, grinning. "You're going to have to earn that right, Girly!"

"Impo… how could he even stand up?"

"I'm a lot tougher than you think, Girly!" He rushed forward again.

"Voltaire!" The dragon's fist came down again.

"Not this time!" He jumped backwards as the fist came down. He leapt up on it and started running up the arm, his blade at the ready. "Stay out of the way, ugly! Or should I say 'Cyclops'?!" He stabbed the dragon in the left eye, roughly yanking out the weapon before somersaulting to the floor.

It let out a pained wail as it covered its eye. "Voltaire! Kgh!" She broke into a run. "You bastard!" She pounded her left fist into the sword and caught his fist in her right.

"Keh." He smirked, releasing the hilt of the sword. Without any resistance, Caro lost her balance, falling forward. In a silent swipe, his claws dug into her shoulder and scraped across her cheek.

"Mgh! RRN!" The shock of pain held her back for only a second as she swung her leg hard into his side, sending him cartwheeling away. However the sword had pitched forward as well, and on the return, the glowing blade burned deep into her calf muscle. "GAAAAAHHHH!" She cried as she fell to the floor. With her good arm she quickly removed the blade, sweating from the pain as she tried to use a healing spell on it.

"I hope I didn't sever a major artery there." He said from the dust cloud. "After all, I want you alive. Should I give you some time to heal, I wonder?"

"KGH!" Caro's eyes trembled as she looked back between Voltaire's legs, at Soran's limp body. "Voltaire, I'm disabling all restrictions in our contract! I don't care if you destroy me and half the city in the process, he needs to be stopped!" The summoning circle appeared under her, and she spread some of the blood from her face onto one of the rings of the circle. "Blood Oath Release! Maximum power!" The massive beast charged up the energy cannons on its wings and chest. "DESTROY HIM!"

Her enemy's eyes went wide. "Uh… Jormungand Zwei!"

In the sleepy city a twinkle of light emerged from a warehouse before three city blocks were wiped out in a blast of magical energy. "GRAAAAAAHHHH!" Voltaire cried as he spread his wings to their fullest extent.

Caro dragged herself to the edge of the crater. "That had to get him. Ah!"

In the middle of the pit was a glowing blue and green scrawl dome. The dome cracked and then shattered, revealing her enemy, kneeling down with his arms spread out to the sides, panting and sweating heavily as the mystical energy dissolved around him. "_Power Shell duration, one shot._"

"Mark as failure. It needs to last at least three."

"_Acknowledged._"

"Egh!" The boy leapt into the air.

"Voltaire! Don't hold anything back!" Caro cried as loud as she could. The dragon took to the sky, diving for a heavy punch.

"HRM!" He put his hand out and spread a magical circle as a barrier. Before he would smash into it, Voltaire pulled the punch and came from below sending him flying with his clawed feet. "Kuso!" The dragon charged up its wing cannons again and fired into the air. "Tch!" His fist's Air Pulse slid him left, away from the first attack, and he spiraled around the second one as he went down. The third shot charged in his chest, and the black armored devil curved under it as it cut a swath into the ground. "If this keeps up, backup will get here soon. Jor, we need to finish this now!"

"_Solution found. Use number 3."_

"WHAT? You're making me use that?!"

"_Do you want to win or not?_"

"Tch! Jormungand Zwei, Gillium Form!"

"_Acknowledged._" The revolver clicked four times and hissed as it released itself from his arm. It twisted together into a long black staff with a shooting barrel. Around the loading port was a revolver with the numbers 0 to 9 written on them.

"Load number 3."

"_Loading 3._" The revolver spun until 3 was at the port and loaded it.

"That's…!" Caro gasped as she recognized the code phrase. "He has Casters! I… can't…." She struggled to stand. "I can't… let him… use that weapon!" She balled her right fist as her glove and cape began to glow white hot. "HAH!" She leapt for him.

"Pagua sunfa, pagua sun…."

Caro rose in a blink of an eye, slamming her fist into the chest plate and wrapping her legs around him. "You've said your last sunfa!" Her cape shuddered and vibrated as she pulled him into a descent. "Now Voltaire! Take the shot!"

"Uh?!" He gasped.

Voltaire just stood there, grunting. "Why won't you…? Do it! This is your chance! Nullify our contract and him at the same time! DO IT!"

"Heh. Looks like he's content on being your servant!" The teen smirked before smashing his forehead into hers.

"Guh…." The impact made her lose her grip and fall away.

"_You're in my way._" Jor suddenly pointed towards the girl and shot an Air Pulse at her sending her flying to the ground below.

"Caro!" The boy gasped and inched for her before an electric shock made him wince. "Jor!"

"_Remember what you're here for. Or have you gone soft again?_"

"Jor!"

"_Finish the job. Sympathies can come later._"

"Kgh! Pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa, pagua sunfa." The black wings extended from the vent holes in Jor's barrel and stretched out horizontally as they spun. "Pagua sunfa. LaGrange Point! Pagua sun FAIRE!" A wave of black air hurtled towards Voltaire.

The giant dragon folded its wings over itself quickly to block the attack, but when it impacted the great guardian, it expanded into a dark bubble that encapsulated him, Caro, and the remains of the building. Everything began to levitate out of control. Voltaire spread his wings again to try and restore balance as Caro floated underneath him. "What… what is…." Caro blinked.

"Don't bother Voltaire! LaGrange Point negates all gravitational and levitational effects. You're nothing but a sitting duck!" A swirling multi-colored blade emerged from Jor's tip as he dove. "You're through!" He plunged the lance straight through the chest plate armor, into his heart.

"GOOAAAAHHHH!" Voltaire cried as he fell back towards the ground.

"Voltaire, no." Caro began to cry as his back closed in on her.

"No no no no!" The green haired teen gasped! "Caro!"

The massive dragon slammed into the ground, a few moments later, his body began to disintegrate into magical particles, leaving only the girl underneath him. "I can't… beat him… Soran-san…." The green haired boy landed next to her, a worried look in his eye. "Who… are you? Why… are you… so…?"

He picked her up gently in his arms. "I'm sorry, Little Princess. This is what I have to do."

"'Little Princess'?" Her eyes filled with tears. "No… you can't… you're… you're…." She passed out.

"Jor."

"_Acknowledged._"

"GREEEAAAAHHHH!" Friederich cried as black tears flowed from his eyes. He shook and flapped in a rage.

"Woah! Fried, calm down! You've got a rider!" Erio grabbed his reins quickly. "Ever since he suddenly turned large, I've barely been able to keep him under control."

"What could cause him to do that anyway?" Subaru rolled next to him in midair. "The only one who can unlock that form is Caro, and I didn't think she could do it long distance."

"I know."

"We're heading to the center of the disturbance right now." Nanoha said, carrying Tea by the arms.

"We'll get to the bottom of this, I swear it." The redhead said. "Caro… where are you? What happened to you?"

"Agh!" Subaru gasped as she saw the damage ahead of her. "Four city blocks are completely totaled!"

"All of the dead…" Erio turned away.

"This is Voltaire's work. I've never seen such total devastation come from any other." Fate bit her thumb. "Caro, why did you call him?"

"_Tracking signal confirmed._" Cross Mirage spoke. "_ID signal, Soran Berkt._"

"Ah!" Everyone gasped and redoubled their speed. Subaru was the first on the ground. "Soran! Soran-kun! Caro! Where… uh?!" She rounded a corner and saw it, Kiryu was stuck in a rock, the energy blade flashing on and off, with Garyu off not too far away. There was a pile of rocks near where they landed. "Soran!" She dashed forward and punched the heaviest of the rocks away. "Soran!" She desperately began to dig. "Everyone, I found him! I need help!"

Nanoha and Tea were next on the scene, shoving their devices underneath more of the rocks to get enough leverage to push them out of the way. Erio and Fate stayed back, knowing they would only get in the way of their effort unless they called. "Fate-chan!" Nanoha yelled, and the blonde was at her side in a flash. They each took an arm and lifted the boy out of the rubble, quickly finding a spot to lay him down.

"Caro… no…" Soran shuddered and winced in his nightmare. "What are you… stop…." His eyes opened slowly, his jaw set as he got up.

"Soran, don't move, you're badly hurt!" Subaru gulped.

He didn't hear her as he gripped Barrage and slammed it into the stone, pulling himself up. "Let go of her…." He clomped forward, using the staff as a crutch. "Don't touch her…. Stop! Get back here!" He raised his hand up to the sky. "Caro! Caro answer me! CARO!" His head slumped.

"Soran-kun…." Nanoha stared at him.

He raised his head in tears. "KUSO!" His swear echoed through the rubble, before he pitched forward and collapsed once again.

The commanders and subcommanders had gathered in Hayate's office, all of them solemn and serious. "We're continuing to search through the wreckage throughout the night and into tomorrow, but so far there is no sign of her." Zaphila growled, before putting his wolven head down on the carpet.

"Forensics say that the damage was done shortly after Friedrich was summoned. The amount of magical residue in the area is enormous." Signum reported for her group.

"She must have used it." Fate lowered her head and her tears dripped onto the backs of her hands. "She must have used the Blood Oath Release. Which means Voltaire could have killed her."

"That's not possible." Vita answered quickly. "I contacted Alzas. Voltaire is lying in his lair right now. He was stabbed in the eye and heart. It will take a long time for him to recover, but the observers seem to think that he's in a lot more emotional pain then physical right now. He won't stop crying, just like Fried is doing."

"Where is Fried desu?"

"Sleeping in an empty aircraft hangar. It was near impossible to find him a spot. Fate-chan, Caro's mark is still on Fried's neck. If the contract were broken, it would've disappeared. She's alive. We know that much."

"Unh." Fate still gripped her kneecaps tight.

Nanoha rubbed her back. "What about Soran-kun? When can we talk to him?"

"At the very earliest, tomorrow afternoon." Shamal answered. "His energy is drained, and he has had some serious trauma to the skull. As you probably have guessed, Subaru is at his side. She has orders to report everything he says."

"Erio and Teana have volunteered to do investigative work overnight." Akito said, hovering next to her partner. "If you can, forward some of the stuff to them."

An encrypted transmission appeared on Hayate's desk. She opened it away from everyone's eyes and instantly took in a deep breath. "No." She stood up quickly. "This is now an S rank classified investigation! Akito, tell Erio and Teana to go home. They won't be needed. Damn it!" She slammed her fist into the desk.

"What happened, Hayate-chan?" Nanoha asked her quickly.

"They found a Caster."

Fate's eyes went wide and she was instantly over the brunette's shoulder. "A type 3 shell?! These are supposed to be extremely rare! That means if Soran didn't fire it, then…."

"Then whoever defeated Voltaire is a Caster user!" Nanoha's nails bit into her palm. Fate backed into the wall, her hand over her mouth, tears running out of her eyes. 'Soran, you need to get better quickly.'


	16. Chapter 16

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 16

_Nanoha sat in her uncomfortable seat in the cargo section of the helicopter. The young teen gripped Raising Heart tightly as she hung her head. At periodic intervals the metal rod clinked as she squeezed it tighter, issuing a small whimper as well._

_Fate and Hayate were sitting across from her in full battle armor as well. They stared at her, worry all over their faces. She had been in shock when they picked her up in her mission area. Her condition had degraded to this while they were en route to the next target point. 'Hayate, say something desu!' Reinforce Zwei whispered inside her head. 'She won't even be able to defend herself like this desu!'_

"_Unh." Hayate looked down, trying to muster her courage. "Nano…."_

"_Nanoha-chan, I'm really glad you're safe!" Fate burst quickly, not even realizing she interrupted. "When Hayate-chan told me you were up against a Singularity Cannon, I was so very worried!"_

"_That's right, Nanoha-chan! We were ready to defect just to help you!"_

"_Maybe I should have died there." She whispered, looking away at the devastated buildings below. "I've done something I can't forgive myself for."_

_Hayate bit her lip. "Nanoha-chan, I don't know what happened down there, and I want to hear it all from you, I really do. But we're going to be going into battle again soon, and if you can't think straight I'm going to have to get the commander to pull you off the flightline!"_

"_Please, just this once, use our strength to bring you back to us!" Fate pressed her hand against her chest._

"_But I…." A tear ran down the brunette's cheek._

_The pilot called over the intercom. "Drop point is in 2 minutes. Prepare for combat."_

"_You'll be doing no such thing!" A voice called over the radio._

"_What the?! Aaaagghh!" The chopper banked hard, sending Fate and Hayate tumbling into Nanoha._

_Fate looked out the window, seeing a tall man with blue hair and black armor with spikes on his shoulders. "Chrono-nii-chan?!"_

"_Chrono-kun?" The others looked to the window as well._

"_I'm hereby scrubbing this mission. I suspect that you were given false information in briefing."_

"_What are you saying? If we don't take out the scientific research installations, then singularity weaponry will survive!"_

"_For God's sake, look around you! Does this look like a scientific research academy to you?!" He swung Durandal around at the small different colored rooftops. "The areas your team was sent to were residential!"_

"_Ah!" Hayate gasped._

"_But we were ordered to eli-!" Fate stepped back._

_Nanoha just stood there, wide eyed, trembling. Chrono snarled. "Therefore, stand down! You've been killing civilians!"_

_Nanoha's staff crashed to the floor. Tears began to run from her cheeks in a flow that could not be stopped. "I… I murdered… IIIIIYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_

"Ah!" Nanoha sat up in bed, panting heavily, sweating. She winced as she remembered the dream, two tears not shed by her younger self rolling out of her eyes. She gripped her covers tightly in one fist. 'Why? Why did that suddenly return to me?' Out of concern for Vivio and Fate, she turned to see if she had woken them, only to find the bedsheets empty. "Fate-chan? Vivio?" She whispered. There was no answer. However she observed a light underneath the door, and a muffled voice from downstairs. "If she's giving Vivio another late night snack…." She slipped on the buttondown shirt she had on her bedpost and quietly padded downstairs.

"Mama, Fate-mama. Why? Please stop. Please?" Vivio's voice was concerned.

"Ahuh! Aahuh ahuh! Aaaahhhh!" It was Fate's cry, but it was dampened.

Nanoha doubled her speed in heading down, not caring if she was heard or not anymore. She found them at the coat closet near the foyer, Fate leaning with her head against the doorframe, holding a long pink scarf to her nose and mouth. Vivio was nudging her with her little hands, trying to get her attention. When she saw the woman, she turned. "Nanoha-mama, Fate-mama is…."

"I can see that, Vivio." She knelt down to her and rubbed her head. "You've been a very good girl in trying to make her happy again. Let Mama take over now, so a certain beautiful little girl can get her beauty sleep."

"Unh." She went to the staircase reluctantly, looking back. "Good night, Nanoha-mama. Fate-mama." She padded off to her room slowly, still wishing she could help more.

Nanoha placed a hand on Fate's back and drew her into her chest. "It's all right, Fate-chan. You can bring that with you, but let's try and sit down for a while, okay?" Fate nodded quickly, and she was guided into the living room, where Nanoha eased her into the sofa before sitting down herself. She finally got a look at the item she was holding. It was Caro's winter scarf. Fate had given it to her the year before as a gift, and when the winter season was over, the young girl had asked if they could store it for her along with her winter clothes.

"Caro… Caro!" Fate sobbed again, taking deep nasal breaths of the scarf.

"It must smell like her." Fate nodded in response, and Nanoha lifted the other end. "May I?" She nodded again, and Nanoha took a whiff. " 'Trap'. You bought her that perfume, didn't you?"

Fate shook her head, taking a deep breath of normal air as she lifted her head. "It was a matching set, the first thing that she bought with her salary. She gave one to me, and kept one for herself. It was a thank you for not giving up on her when everyone else did."

"And that's when you gave her the scarf."

She nodded again. "But now… now…. I can't bear it." She curled up again, sobbing into the scarf. "I… I don't think we'll ever see her again!"

"You don't mean that, Fate-chan."

"Yes I do!" Her head snapped up, her teeth grit, tears streaming down her face. "Look at what she had to do! She summoned Voltaire and all but invalidated her contract just to try and defeat whoever it was that took her from me, and she failed! Who knows what's being done to her?!"

"Fate-chan…."

"And Voltaire lost, and Soran did too. Whoever took her is beyond powerful! Even at level three, she and Kercleyon are only S Rank. Voltaire at full power is quad S. And Soran went down too…. Nanoha-chan, a monster took Caro, and I don't think we're strong enough to get her back!" She collapsed again.

Nanoha sighed, rubbing her lover's back gently. "The perfume, that was her thanking you for not giving up on her, right? Do you still have it?"

"Unh. It's on my dresser in the crystal bottle."

"All right then." Nanoha stood up and whipped around. "Then I don't think you'll mind if I drain it and smash it for you!"

"Eh?!" Fate's head snapped up. "Why would you want to do that?!"

"You just said it yourself! That was a gift for you never giving up on her! Yet look how you're acting! Thinking you'll never see her again! Saying that her captor is too strong for us! You broke your commitment to her just now, the thing that bottle upstairs signifies! Egh!" She dashed upstairs quickly.

"Nanoha-chan, don't!" Before Fate could stand, Nanoha was back downstairs, a small carved crystal bottle in her hand. "I'm begging you, don't!"

"Then take it back. Take back what you said!"

"But I'm telling the truth! I'm not strong enough to save her!"

"KRGH!" Nanoha's fist closed around the bottle and crushed it, blood and perfume dripping to the carpet below.

"NO! Nanoha-chan, why?!" She leapt up and took her by the collar. "Why did you just do that?!"

"Because you don't seem to get it!" Nanoha snarled, pushing her back to the sofa. "It doesn't matter how strong the enemy, or how hopeless the situation seems! We will overcome it, surpass it with our own strength and desire! It's just like you had told Erio-kun! We're committed to each other, and we aren't allowed to give in, because if we do, we are sure to lose!" She shook her scented fist at the blonde. "Now look me in the eye and say that you haven't betrayed your commitment to Caro by saying such worthless things as that!"

"I… I…. What have I done…?" Her body went limp. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Nanoha-chan. I really did betray her, didn't I? I have to keep fighting until the day I can hold her again, don't I? And that's the day I'll apologize to her for my broken promise. Thank you, Nanoha-chan."

"You're welcome." She opened her other hand and dangled the crystal bottle in front of her before putting it in her hand.

"What? But… but how?"

She unclenched her other hand above a trash can, and the shards of crystal fell into it as she wiped off the excess stuck to her. "I had a bottle too. I needed a big production to get you to finally realize. Although this means I'll have to get another bottle later on, but… I think it was worth it."

"Nanoha-chan… you…!" Fate lunged for her, planting a heavy kiss on her lips.

A pair of purple eyes slowly opened, their vision still hazy, as the brain they were attached to perceived the beeping of a vital monitor. Concentrating on that brought him fully to consciousness. His eyes went wide. "Caro!" He sat up quickly, and the vital scanner turned off. "Damn it, what the hell am I doing here?! Why am I hooked up to this stuff?!" He saw an IV needle in his right arm and tried to pull it out, but his left arm never appeared in front of his vision. "Uh?" He looked to his left, his arm just hanging there, unresponsive. "Come on, connect! Damn it, I'll have to reset it." He reached his opposite arm over and gripped it hard, digging his fingernails into it, wincing from the needle shifting in his vein. "GARGH!" The sting of the needle was soon forgotten as all the nerve endings in his left arm were forcibly severed and reconnected.

"Soran? Soran-kun!" Subaru rushed into the room. "What's wrong?!"

"Just… shut up for a second!" He sweated as he raised his left arm, flexing it. "Final connection… lock!" He slumped down, panting, before ripping out the shunt in his good arm. "Come on, Subaru, we have to hurry! I saw the direction he took her in. We should still be able to catch up if we use our ACS!" He stood up on shaky legs.

"Soran, stop." She pulled in front of him and gave him a tight hug. "It's been a whole 36 hours already."

"Eh?!" Soran gasped. "Then…" He plopped back down on the bed. "Kuso…." His fists shook. "I failed Caro, KUSO!"

A pair of blue eyes slowly opened, their vision still hazy, as the brain they were attached to perceived the B Flat of an electronic hum. Her head turned to one side as her eyes started to clear. "Where…?" She was lying on a flat board with a thin cushion on it, and in front of her were thick metal bars with a glowing security field cast through them.

On the other end, a worker droid slid up to the metal lattice. "_Subject Caro Ru Lushe confirmed conscious. You will not be harmed in this facility unless you attempt to use any magical abilities, which will be punished. The food polymers delivered to you twice a day are formulated for the proper nutrition for your biological functions. Eat them. You will be released when the master gives his permission._"

"Master? Who is this Master?" She blinked as she sat up, wincing from the bruises and wounds she was still recovering from.

"_Instruction Tutorial complete, resuming normal functions._" The robot skated off.

"Not interactive." She sighed, gripping her forehead as she began to reminisce on the battle. "Soran-san…." She fell back to the makeshift bed and curled up.

Soran brought some fresh meat and vegetables on a large metal plate and placed it in front of Friedrich. He knelt down and lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Fried. I failed your master. I couldn't do any-" Suddenly Fried's clawed foot slammed into him, sending him flying into the wall. "Fried… I'm sorry…" The dragon snarled and charged, headbutting the teen and sending him through the wall to the asphalt outside. "So this is my punishment then?" He sighed as Fried flapped his wings and tore outside with his beak wide open, charging up a fireball.

"Fried stop this!" Fate dashed in front of him and spread her arms. "Stop attacking, it's not Soran's fault, and you know it!"

"GOOOAAAHHH!" His head swiped her out of the way.

"Fate-san!" Soran gasped.

"Daahh!" Erio came down from above. "Shiden Issen!" The voltage sparked into the dragon's back.

"KAAARRR!" He cried before he went down.

Erio grabbed his reins tightly before he could come to again. "He's too dangerous for you to confront right now. If he's enraged I can't keep him at bay for very long, so hurry and get out of here."

"Unh." Soran lowered his head and walked away, biting his lower lip hard, his fist trembling at his side.

Erio shoved a carrot into Fried's mouth, taking the dragon's mind off things. "Erio-kun…" Fate walked up to him, rubbing her arm slightly. "You know how he's feeling right now. You shouldn't be harsh with him."

"Tch!" He looked towards the figure heading back to base, intercepted by Hayate and Rein. "I have my own feelings about the situation, Fate-san. I'm entitled to them as everyone else is."

"Soran-kun, are you feeling up to having a debriefing now?" Hayate smiled at him as best she could.

Soran looked away from her. "Even Fried is suffering… because I couldn't protect her… couldn't stop him…. I was useless and…."

Hayate wrapped her arms around the boy, silencing him with surprise. "Just because you're the older male forward on the team doesn't mean you always have to act tough, Soran-kun." She stared into his eyes. "It's okay to let it out."

Soran returned the stare as he gritted his teeth, squinting. The two tears rolling down his cheeks was enough to make his composure break. "I'm sorry Commander! I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! If I could have managed to be there…. I'm sorry!"

"We were separated…." Soran said as he gripped his knees. All of the commanders and subcommanders had their eyes on him, an unwanted part of the debriefing process. "Some kind of unbreakable clear substance slid down between us, effectively cutting us off from each other. I tried my hardest to break through it, but nothing worked, not even my blades' Stone Biter. She was trying to tell me something, and then ran off down the hall."

"So you elected to follow your path as well, in hopes that yours would cross with hers." Hayate commented quickly. She had sensed his frustration early on, and wanted to expedite the processes as best she could.

"Right." Soran nodded. "What I wound up coming across was an endless hall filled with traps and turrets. They just kept coming, no matter how many I disabled. I have no idea how long I had run, shooting and slashing them down one by one. In retrospect, I don't think it was a real hall anyway. It was probably some kind of moving hallway, kind of like walking up a down escalator."

"Why's that?"

"Some of the hallway panels were already destroyed. Things that I had taken care of before, but didn't notice at the time."

"So how did you escape from the trap?" Zaphila looked up from his curled up position on the bench.

"Simply put, I didn't. Eventually a high powered magical weapon tore through the hall right in front of my face, and I was caught up in the shockwave, and swept into the side of a building with the rest of the debris."

"Voltaire's Mana Cannon." Fate bit her lip.

"The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground face up with a few rocks around me, staring at what I'm guessing was Voltaire, firing beam weapons into the sky. I saw Caro sitting on the ground at the edge of a crater, and then she struggled to stand." He turned to Fate. "I'm sorry to be so graphic, but her leg was drenched in blood, and some was dripping down her arm too." Nanoha was immediately rubbing her back, trying to give her some comfort. "I tried to call to her, but she was too far away, and I was too weak to use my telepathy. She jumped higher than I had ever seen her before, but soon she was sent to the rocks again. It was only after that I managed to look into the sky, and the person that blew her away."

"You mean you saw him?!"

"Not very well, I'm afraid." Soran shook his head. "I was too far away to get any details, but the attacker was male, and dressed all in black armor. I don't know much else other than that. Then he aimed his weapon at Voltaire and fired some kind of shot I've never seen before." The three commanders started whispering to each other. "It expanded into a field around us that turned everything into a zero-g environment. Voltaire, Caro, and I were all floating around, unable to control our movements in the field." Soran balled his fist. "Then that bastard dove in and stabbed Voltaire in the chest! He couldn't defend himself or anything, and he was just…."

"Merciless…." Signum shook her head.

"Ah." The boy snarled. "The attack sent the dragon falling to the ground, but Caro was right in the path! I knew I had to do something or else she would've been crushed, so with everything I had left I pulled out Kiryu and Garyu for balance and activated my ACS. But instead of sending me in towards her, it slammed me to the side of the building rubble! Voltaire hit Caro, Caro hit the ground, and the field's effect wore off, sending me down, probably where you guys found me. Voltaire had disappeared and that guy picked her up and flew off with her. That's all I remember."

"So you never actually fought this enemy?" Hayate asked quickly.

"No ma'am. I wish I had, after seeing what the fight did to the Little Princess…. Commander, please promise me that if we find him, I get first dibs!" His words were soaked in rage. "I got her involved and I let her down. I won't be able to forgive myself if someone else takes him!"

"Soran…." Hayate sighed. "Rein, please get that thing we found."

"Hai desu." Rein left quickly.

"I'd like to remind you all that this investigation is strictly confidential. This also applies to the other Forwards. They are strictly on a need-to-know basis, and right now, they don't need to know."

Rein returned with a small sanitary bag with a golden casing in it. "Here it is desu. Straight out of decontam."

Soran's eyes went wide, and he snatched the bag from her hands, twirling the shell around. "Type 3…. Where in the world did you find a type 3?"

"We found it in the middle of the battlefield." Nanoha answered. "Soran-kun, if you didn't fight this enemy, then you didn't use any Casters, right?"

"N-no… masaka! You mean that… KGH!" Soran grit his teeth. "So that's what that was… he used a Caster on Voltaire! SHIT!"

"Soran, did you have a number 3 with you at all?"

"No, all I kept on me are a 0 and a 2. I hadn't even seen an unused 3, not even during my time in Slipstream! But that explains the zero gravity."

"So you know what they do?"

"Well, yeah. You can't be a Caster user without at least knowing the base functions, even if it is a trump card. A number 3's ability is Lagrange Point."

"The point of gravitational equilibrium between moons and planets where there is no gravitational pull either way?" Fate looked up, a bit curious.

"Well that's the standard definition anyway. The Caster forcibly creates a temporary Lagrange Point, where gravity and propulsion constants don't apply. It's what made my ACS go crazy and dealt me the finishing blow. He must have used it just to do get Voltaire off balance. Wasting a number 3 on something like that…."

"Wasting? What do you mean, brat?" Vita took the shell from him and inspected it.

"Numbers 0, 1, and 3 are extremely rare pieces with practical applications. Rein and I escaped Slipstream with number 1 to drill and number 0 to warp. Number 3 can be used during building collapses or rockslides and things of that nature to move extremely heavy rubble that's burying or trapping people. The rubble can be moved to the side easily while the trapped people float out and can be picked up. But to apply such a lifesaving shell as a weapon is disgusting!"

"It also means that this person is extremely dangerous. We need to be careful. From now on, we're going to high alert status." Hayate stood and made a fist. "Whatever reason this person has, he didn't kill Caro, he took her. That means he wants something from us. We'll hear from him again."

"So, what happened in there?" Tea said as she leaned against the window in the lounge, with Subaru and Erio looking up from their card game.

"Most of it is classified stuff, so I can't say." Soran shook his head.

"Tch… classified…." Tea huffed.

"But we're going to be on high alert status. No one leaves the base without permission, and anyone that leaves goes in pairs at the very least."

"What about finding Caro?" Erio spoke quickly, looking at his watch.

"We're not taking any action."

"EH?!" The other girls in the room gasped, as Erio started tapping his foot.

"Yagami-daicho believes that the kidnapper will try to come into contact with us with their demands. It's best to stay put until then."

"Kuso." The pre-teen whispered as he looked at his watch again.

Soran side glanced the boy before turning to Subaru. "All immediate family members are being warned of the threat. Fate-san and Nanoha-san are bringing Vivio here. Su, your father was informed of the situation, but I'm not so sure about Gin. You might want to give her a call."

"Yeah, good idea. At the very least, she shouldn't leave the Rehab compound if she can't make it here." Subaru went off to use the phone.

Teana pushed herself off of the wall. "I have something to talk to the subcommanders about. I'll be back for dinner."

A short black-clad figure rushed out onto the large concrete floor, hugging metal and darkness as he quickly made his way to his target. Seeing the gate, he quickly swiped his card. It gave a negative beep. He did it again, and once again, nothing. "Come on!" He hissed.

"You're usually not one to break regulations." A voice made him whirl around as spotlights came on around the Star. A lone figure sat on top of one of the motorcycles in the garage. "Are you Erio-kun?"

"Tch." The boy removed his ski mask and snarled. "This isn't your problem, Soran. Go back to bed." He swiped his card again.

"If I go back, it's to report you, Erio!" Soran hopped off the bike and walked forward. The young boy ignored him as he swiped his pass again. Soran jingled his keys. "I've already taken over that lock with Barrage, and the outside gate with Rainbow. Your pass is useless unless I say otherwise."

"You bastard!" Erio glared at him. "Just what do you want?"

"Either we both go back and forget this ever happened, or you tell me what it said. You've already been contacted by Caro's kidnapper, haven't you?"

"Kuso!" He slammed his fist into the door. "Was I really that obvious?"

"You were looking at your watch every 15 seconds. It was pretty obvious to me. The others were distracted with other things, so I don't think they took too much note of it. So?"

The boy clenched his fist. " 'If you want to save her, have a duel with me. You win, she goes free. You lose, you join her. 2 AM, Melchior Stadium.' No sender, no time stamp."

Soran turned around as his jacket materialized. "I'm coming with you."

"Like hell you are!"

"Regulations, Erio. No one leaves the base without a partner, and I'm yours."

"My partner is Caro."

"In case you haven't noticed, Caro isn't here! She's over there. Now the only other person that was around when she was kidnapped was me. I know more about what we're about to get into than you could, and I'm telling you right now that you are going to be walking into a trap!" Soran wheeled his blue bike up to him.

"No shit, Sherlock! See? I can be an annoying punk too!"

Soran grabbed him by his cuff and raised him to eye level. "Maybe you aren't getting it yet! The only way you're getting out of here is in my sidecar! I want to give that bastard a licking just as much as you do!" He dropped him. "We have the same goal here, Erio: Get Caro back. Now, are you in or out?!"

Erio's shoulders shook in anger. "RrrrrrRRRRRRRH!" He went silent after his buildup and sat down in the bike's passenger seat.

Soran smiled, letting out a nasally sigh. He mounted the bike and cranked the starter. "Barrage, remote activation."

"_Understood._" The door shimmered before disappearing.

"Rainbow, open gate when in broadcast proximity." Soran twisted the throttle and gunned it. The security gate slid open right as the two boys burst out, taking to the streets. The sleepy military base didn't even raise an alarm.

Erio looked at Strada's terminal. "If it's Melchior Stadium, he'll probably be using high energy attacks, but that will still work to my advantage in the realm of speed and dashing."

"That's assuming that we make it there." Soran grunted. "Caro and I ran into a ton of traps before she met him. It was planned out in every detail. It's like he knew exactly what we were going to do. Make sure you check your surroundings in there."

"You don't have to tell me that. Just worry about yourself, and I'll worry about me."

"Ah. That might be the best after all. He was depending on our teamwork that time. But this time, I'll make sure he doesn't get the best of me! I'll rescue Caro for sure!"

"KGH!" Erio stood and gave Soran a strong left hook. The bike tilted on its side and skidded to a stop as they were thrown from it.

"Gah." Soran grunted as he struggled to get up. "What the hell is your problem?! You almost got us both killed there!"

Erio rushed him and completed another hit. "Get this straight right now! I'm going to be the one to rescue Caro! I'm the one who cares the most about her, and I won't lose her to the likes of you!"

"I never wanted her in the first place!" Soran got up and wiped the blood off his lip.

"It's not a matter of you wanting her, it's what she wants that matters! Ever since you came around, she's been infatuated by you! I'm going to be the one to save her, and I'll get her back in the process! You're not needed here!" Erio turned towards the stadium and started walking.

"Stop." Soran said quickly. He didn't. "Kgh! STRUGGLE BIND!" Energy ropes lashed out from his palm and wrapped around the boy.

"You really are a bastard." Erio grunted as he fought against the containment field as Soran put himself between the stadium and the boy.

"I'm not in competition with you here, Erio. If you want to take credit for her rescue, go ahead. I don't care. But I'm supposed to be looking out for you in there, and you're not thinking straight!"

"Shut up! How would you know?! You're not the one who loves her, I am!"

"It's because you love her that your judgment is being clouded, Erio! Don't you get it? If you just jump in there and be reckless in a flashy manner, you're going to lose in there! Our enemy is smart, very smart, and if we don't do this right, we're going to lose!"

"You just think that I'm going to drag you down!" Erio's hair slowly stood on end as he gathered up his magical electricity. "Well that's not going to happen! I'm strong enough to beat him with or without you!"

"KGH!" Soran snarled. "Dark Trinity weapons, full limiter release! Maximum power!"

"_Gillium Form!_"

He thrust the golden barrel under Erio's chin. "Then prove it, Erio! Prove to me that you're strong enough! If you want to beat him so badly, then go through me! Break that spell and take my weapon! Just know that when you do, you'll have in your hands the exact same power he does!"

"Uh?!"

"The bastard that kidnapped Caro uses Casters."


	17. Chapter 17

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 17

_The young boy closed the door quickly and quietly, turning around in the darkness until he saw the golden head of the staff shimmering from the starlight coming in through the window. He stepped forward cautiously, trying not to make a single sound as he reached out his hand for it. Suddenly the air whistled around him, and he found himself entrapped by orange ropes of energy. The light turned on. "Soran."_

"_Tch…." The boy didn't even have to turn around to know who it was._

"_You broke the rule. Never set foot in here without me or your mother present." The man stood between him and the staff. "Well? Are you going to explain yourself?"_

"_I just wanted to hold it. You saved those miners with it. I just wanted to feel as cool." He stared at the nails in the floorboards._

"_Soran, this isn't something you can use carelessly, or even hold." The man lifted the staff out of the levitation field. "This is a weapon, and one that could cause great harm if you're not careful. Every time I pick it up, I have to be prepared to use it and its fearsome power. By coming in here without that resolve, you could easily have destroyed us all."_

"_I'm sorry." Soran looked away._

_The man sighed. "Well, you've mastered the elementals already, so I guess it's as good a time as any." He thrust the head of the staff under the boy's chin. "If you break these bonds and take a hold of my staff, I'll teach you how to use the Casters. But be absolutely sure you're ready, and be devoted to give your very life to control it. Are you prepared for that sacrifice?"_

Soran stared at Erio down the barrel of his golden staff. "To use the Casters, you have to be willing to give your very life to control them. Are you prepared to make the same sacrifice as I am? If you are, then take it!" The irony of the situation wasn't wasted on him, smiling inwardly.

Erio's hair stood on end, his internal elemental charge rising. He gritted his teeth and tensed his arm muscles, pouring all of his energy into them. "GUUAAAHHH!" He cried up to the clouded night sky as his electricity sparked, punching holes into his binds, letting him stretch them out until they split, falling to his feet. His hand reached out to the head of the staff, but it stopped within an inch. His hand spread, hovering over the armor. "Kgh." He closed his fist and put it at his side, collapsing to his hands and knees. "I can't."

"You can't what?" Soran said as he clicked the base of his staff on the ground.

"I can't take it. I'm not strong enough to use it. I don't have enough confidence to." Erio shook his head before standing. "I should apologize. Until now, I thought that it was just a strong weapon. I didn't realize just what it entailed for you."

Soran let out a sigh through his nose before letting a small smile out. "Does this mean you've calmed down a bit?"

The redhead nodded. "So this guy really uses Casters? How come I didn't hear that?"

"Casters are S-rank classified info. Need to know basis. I told you because you need to know." Soran lifted the bike up and tried to kickstart it. It sputtered for a second before it died. "Well so much for that. Come on. We're hoofing it." Soran slung his staff over his shoulder and turned towards the stadium.

"U… unh." Erio caught up with him quickly and matched pace. "Hey… Soran…."

"Mmm? Nani?"

"If he's using Casters… how can I beat him?"

"Exactly that. You beat him."

"Huh?"

"It's all a matter of time with charging Casters, and the mantra used to focus the energy."

"Oh!" Erio smacked his fist into his hand. "I get it! I have to stop him from chanting before he can fire!"

"Close… but also wrong."

"Ueh?"

A rumble of thunder echoed through the streets. Soran looked into the sky. "Sounds like rain…. If he's just starting to chant, that's your best time to stop him. But never, never stop him if he's in the middle or end of the charge!"

"Why? What could happen?"

"Oh nothing much, just say the destruction of this dimension and everything in it!" Soran snapped at him. A bolt of lightning pealed across the sky and lit up Erio's stunned visage. "An incomplete Caster charge can go out of control. It's a flaw with singularity weapons, they're unpredictable if not done properly. That's why I said I have to lay my life on the line whenever I use it." Soran's mind wandered for a moment, as he saw himself break free of his father's binds and grabbed the staff. _"Teach me! Teach me to be as strong as you!"_

"Soran…."

"A Caster user will die for the sake of completing the reaction, or else everyone and everything will be at risk." Soran gripped his staff tight as he lowered his head. It started to drizzle around them.

"As the opponent, you have to have that same mentality. Stop it early or let it complete. If you think it's too far along, run like hell!"

Erio nodded, looking back towards their goal ahead as the rain began to increase.

Melchoir Stadium always had an ethereal white glow to it, making it as much a tourist attraction as the events held inside it. Its glow also helped to save on lighting costs. The glow wasn't enough to illuminate the two figures that stepped forward from the street, only visible through the heavy rain by the lightning. They approached the gate to the parking lot and the taller of the two raised his finger. A ball of swirling light appeared in front of him and he flung it at the lock pad. The panel sizzled and the gate shimmered before dropping. "Was that necessary?"

"Notice there are no alarms?"

"Uh? Then…."

"He's already here." Soran and Erio gripped their weapons in battle position, going back to back as they scanned the area. "Scenario A-21. You know it?"

Erio nodded. "The enemy is in the area and knows the terrain. Tight formations with a wide range of vision."

"The parking lot is empty." Soran whispered. "It's perfect for being sniped at long distances. Kiryu, Garyu, WAS mode." An error message came up on his visor. "Damn!" He pressed his back against the gate doorframe.

"What?"

"Communications blackout. He's put a dampening field around the stadium! I'd lose contact with my weapons if I used my WAS."

"A dampening field of this size? There would have to be at least two generators casting it. What are we going to do?"

Soran bent down and began stretching. "Now, my friend, we run. I'll lead since I'm slower. If there's anyone out there, they'll try shooting at me first." A ring of magical orbs appeared around him. "Once I'm through I'll lay down cover fire so you can dash across."

"Unh."

"You'll know my signal when you see it." Soran crouched low and dashed forward. A bullet entered the ground next to him halfway through, followed by an explosion. "So now you're using a bracket-targeting strategy huh? Egh!" He twirled around the explosion and threw a batch of balls above the building.

"Soran! Kgh! Strada!"

"_Explosion!"_ Strada cocked a cartridge.

As he continued running a bullet whistled past his other ear. "Shit!" He tucked and rolled as another explosive shell followed. "So you're both here! Sora!" He tossed another batch to the opposite side. Scrambling forward, he dashed into the stadium, hiding behind one of the glowing pillars. The last ball floated into his mechanical hand and he crushed it. The others exploded into bright flares. "Let there be light!" He sneered as he looked up. Two metallic forms with sniper rifles withdrew, their positions exposed. "Androids?!"

Erio jetted across with Strada's thrust and landed next to him. "You okay?"

"Yeah… it's just… I didn't expect the snipers to be androids."

"Androids? Where would someone get their hands on that kind of technology?"

"I don't know. Just who are we dealing with here?" Soran took out his staff again. "The point is we're in. We keep moving, but watch out for traps. If you see anything out of the ordinary, say something."

"Got it." Soran and Erio went from pillar to pillar, back to back, weaving as they took cover, trying to make it to the entrance of the field.

When they were at the halfway point, Soran hid behind a glowing pillar and raised his fist. He answered Erio's questioning look. "Look ahead. Don't you find it strange that there is a perfectly clear path to the field? No obstructions whatsoever?"

Erio scratched his cheek. "Now that you mention it…."

"I'd send a blast straight through just to make sure, but that would waste energy." Soran sighed before pulling a coin out of his pocket. "You know, if I have to keep using money to check for traps, I'm gonna need a raise!" He hurled the coin straight forward. It sailed between the pillars until CLINK KFZZZZ! Electricity attacked the penny in midair, spinning it around in the air before it dropped the the ground, sizzling.

"WHA?!"

"Glass walls… electrified glass walls apparently. Honestly, what's with this guy and electrified stuff? Follow in a straight line, but watch our backs." Soran went forward slowly until the coin was at his feet. Picking it up he quickly skipped it to the left. Nine feet ahead, it shorted. "The pillars make a grid system. The walls are in between, so make sure you stay in the center. We're moving one grid left. Make sure you keep the field in sight at all times."

"Ou." Erio nodded, his eyes dashing every which way, trying to detect any enemy presence while Soran blazed them a path.

They continued to zigzag through the deadly maze until the coin hit ground without hitting a barrier. "Uh?" Soran took out another one and hurled it as far as he could. "This is the exit."

"Finally."

Soran sighed through is nose. "Well played…." He looked up at the sign in front of him. "Ramp to grandstands. And we can't see the field entrance any more. Kuso!" He muttered as they slowly went forward.

"Looks like our course has been predetermined."

"Yeah…. Just like what happened with Caro! Kgh!" He clenched his weapon tight.

"Soran, I'm… sorry. I was just too mad at you to realize just how much losing Caro was hurting you in…."

"I can't stand this!" He raised his staff to the ceiling and sent off a rather noisy shot that echoed through the halls. "I know you're watching us! You think this is some sick game for your enjoyment? Why don't you actually come out and face us head on, instead of cowering somewhere in a corner?! Come on!"

He was only answered in silence as Erio frantically surveyed the area. After doing so for a full minute, he stood up straighter. "Feel better now?"

"Maybe just a li-" The tiles they stood under cracked. "ttle."

"Uuaaaahhh!" They both fell down separate shafts. Erio quickly flipped Strada horizontally and forced himself to slow to a stop. He put his back against one side of the wall and his legs against the other, pointing his device straight up. "Strada!"

"_Explosion!"_ It cocked a cartridge and its jets lit up, pulling him out of the hole. He landed and rolled away from the tile.

"Egh. Soran!"

"Up here." The older teen sneered, dangling from Kiryu's blade, shoved into one of the walls. "I overdid it and used my ACS." He swung out from the wall, away from the tiles. "But honestly, how low tech can you get? A pitfall trap?"

The tile re-materialized over the holes, forcing them both to blink. "Not so low tech as you thought." Erio lowered his weapon to his hips. "But that just got me more pissed off. Eh? Soran look!"

From their position, there was a clear staircase through the stands to the field. "Nice try, but it looks like we've won this round." Soran smirked as they stepped down.

An electronic beeping irritated Caro's ears. She winced as she opened her eyes and sat up. She was still in her cell, so she hadn't been moved in her sleep, however past the bars was a green athletic field with stadium seating in the back. Squinting past it, she saw a projector. "So? What is it you want me to see?" No one answered her. Then she saw two humans coming down the steps, one of them had a lance and was wearing a white jacket. "That's...!"

On the other side of the screen, something caught Soran's eye. "Erio, look midfield!"

"That's…!" His eyes went wide as he saw the girl standing behind the bars. "It's Caro!"

Soran quickly clamped his hand on the boy's shoulder before he could get away and squeezed hard. "You already know this is probably another trap, right? Go quickly, but carefully. I'll back you up from the rear."

"Unh." He took the steps three a stride and vaulted over the railing as he rushed the field, Soran bringing up the rear, keeping an eye on every seat he could. "Caro! Egh… Caro!"

"E-Erio-kun? Erio-kun?!" She had to resist gripping the bars and reaching out to him. "What are you doing there?"

"We came to save you! Don't worry, we'll get you out of there, I promise." He said as he panted in front of her. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

"I don't know…" She shook her head. "I've been treated okay, but I'm still hurt from the fight. Where are you?" She limped to the bars.

"We're in Melchior Stadium. He's agreed to let you go if we win a match against him."

"Win a match? No! Erio-kun, you have to get out of there! You don't realize how strong he is! Forget about me and run! Hurry!"

"I'm not abandoning you, Caro! We're not abandoning you! We'll win this duel and get you home!"

"Erio-kun…." She looked away, blushing, and also slightly disappointed. "Wait… we? Who do you have as backup?" Just then, Soran appeared over Erio's shoulder. She gasped in hope for a second before stumbling backwards. "No! Run, Erio, now!"

"Caro?"

"Run! You have to run! That's not Soran! He killed him! It's a trap, get out of there!"

"HAH?!" The boy whipped around quickly as Kiryu fought against Strada.

Soran sneered. "Good reaction time."

"Erio-kun!" Caro gasped from her ringside seat.

"If you're not Soran, then who the hell are you?" He altered his stance to get more force out of his push. He won the fight between them and swung horizontally while Soran leapt backward.

"Heheh. Hahahahaha! Who says I'm not Soran?!" He lifted his head into the air as he laughed.

"Eh?" Both of the younger kids spoke.

"Because it's true…." The façade dropped, and the black-haired teen was replaced with the green-haired one with black armor and barrier jacket. His tone deepened slightly as he sneered. "I am Soran." He snapped his fingers and the hologram closed up.

"Caro!"

"Erio-kun!" She gasped as the room went dark. She collapsed to the floor, curling her knees against her chest and shivering. "He's going to lose…. Erio-kun is… Erio-kun is…." She began sobbing.

"The Little Princess doesn't need to see this. She already predicted the outcome correctly."

"Don't you dare use that nickname you imposter!" Erio crouched down, preparing to thrust forward. "There's no way in hell that you're Soran, and there's no way you could have infiltrated the base! No one's imitation is that good! Who are you?!"

"You don't listen well, do you kid? I am Soran. Though I'm not the Soran you know, I'm still Soran, so thus I'm Soran, and I can be Soran easily."

A tumbleweed rolled through as a drop of sweat ran down the back of Erio's head. "Come again?"

"Kids these days." The green mop shook. "The Soran you know has the accent on the a. The accent in my name is on the o."

"_Are you finished with the grammar lesson?"_ His device blinked.

"Well it doesn't matter who you are, because I'm bringing you down!" Erio lunged forward and planted his spear into the ground where Soran O once was. He attempted to follow with his eyes as the green blur coalesced as he stopped at the goal line. "Sonic Move? Well then!"

"_Sonic Move!"_ Erio and Strada dove forward at blinding speed until he was above the enemy mage, taking a giant swing down.

The teen turned around and blocked the hit with both his armored arms. "Heheh. Are you going to give me more of an entertaining fight than your girlfriend then?" He balled his left fist as it cocked two cartridges. Pointing his fist at the ground a burst of air sent him straight up, nearly flinging Strada out of Erio's hands. "Or are you going to be monotonous like Soran?" He cocked a third cartridge and swung it down. "Crush!"

"Don't look down on me!" Erio snarled as he swung his blade hard, intersecting the ripple of air. After fighting with it for a few seconds, the ripple split, indenting the stands around him, but leaving him unscathed.

"Uh?"

"_Pressure Pulse, failed. The enemy's wind affinity punctured the bubble._"

"Interesting."

Strada cocked three cartridges. "_Luftmesser."_

"Egh!" Erio swung hard in the air, sending a slicing wind towards the enemy. "Just what's your objective?!" As Soran dove he swung again. "You kidnapped Caro, and she says you killed Soran!" He took a hard third swipe as the enemy rolled under the second one and leapt into the air again. "WHY?!"

"Kgh!" The green-haired teen took the blast with his armored right arm and it threw him underneath the upper deck seating. Erio landed at the opposite end of the field and poised for another attack. Soran's voice echoed from the shadows of the covered seating. "The White Devil!"

"Eh?" No sooner had he let out the syllable then six magical bullets hurtled towards him. Erio dashed to his right, trying to avoid the shots. Three of them exploded when they hit the ground, but the others began to give chase.

"She erased me." The enemy was upon him in a half second, sending an ACS Strike forward. The younger boy used his weapon to block, but the impact blew him backwards, into the awaiting magical shots.

"GUAH!" Erio's head reared back in pain before he collapsed to his hands and knees.

"She took everything I held dear and made it vanish in white light." He grabbed the boy's hair and lifted him up, not caring how much he cringed. "Now she'll know the pain of the same!" Erio received his foot in the stomach and was blown to the padded back wall before falling to the turf.

"If it's Nanoha-san you're after…." Erio pushed himself up. "then I'll have to fight you to the death!" Erio squeezed Strada tight. "KURAI!" He hurled his device at the enemy.

Strada's spearhead split open, extending an energy blade. "_Stahlmesser._"

Soran raised his fist to the wall and his Air Pulse pushed him from it. SHLUK. "Egh!" He grunted as the blade took a stab into his leg. "You little rat." He grunted as he removed the blade, tossing Strada to the side.

"_Trajectory changes based on surrounding air currents. Using Air Pulse drew the attack to you._"

"Level Two Release!" Erio called out as he got on his feet.

"_Gewitter Form!"_ Strada's airholes extended propulsion cones and disappeared from Soran's side, reappearing in Erio's hands.

"A recall function. That's a new feature." His enemy chuckled. "I'm impressed you were this well prepared."

Erio crouched down, poised for another attack. Strada cocked a full magazine. "I'll do anything and everything to get Caro back and stop you!" Fate's words ran through his head as Strada's engines ignited. "I'll never give up, and I'll never back out! I will have her back!"

"_Speerangriff._" Strada called out as they thrust forward at blinding speed.

The barrel rotated on Soran's arm. "_Element Pulse mode._" Around the fist emerged four hatches. "_Emergency Armor Activation._" Black armored boots with exhaust ports materialized on the teen's legs and Jormungand Zwei raised his fist to bear. "_Flare Pulse._" A circular wall of flames emerged and expanded from the ID.

"Kgh!" Erio winced as he forced his way through the heated air. As he broke through he saw nothing on the other side. "Nani?!"

"Nice try." Soran whispered from above. Erio looked up to see the teen backflipping over him, using his new boots to enhance his mobility, and raising his fist to his turned back. "Now take it at close range."

"_Air Pulse._"

Soran was flung to center field. "Oi, Jor! That was supposed to be Flare Pulse!"

"_Had a high fatality risk._"

Erio grunted as he hit the wall. Instantly he was a streak of light running up the side of the stadium, flying high above the demon Soran. Pointing Strada directly at him, it spoke. "_Leitfähigen Nadeln_." From its focal points, the ID launched countless needles into a circle on the ground.

The green-haired enemy raised a shield to block those on a direct course, turning the field into a bulls-eye. "Kgh! What the hell kind of attack was that?"

Erio kept Strada raised so he would continue hovering in the air as he focused his magical energies into his right hand. A ball of sparking plasma solidified in his palm and he hurled it at the dark enemy. "LIGHTNING CAGE!" All of the needles began to be struck at random by lightning bolts emerging from the plasma ball with such frequency it became a cage that trapped and shocked Soran.

"Gah! AGH! DYAH!" He winced and twitched as he was electrified at different intervals from the rainsoaked turf. "Jor!"

Thunder rumbled in the dark skies, peals of lightning rolling through the clouds. Erio closed his eyes, focusing his energy. "Depths of the abyss that reach out into the heavens, I invoke your power!" He loaded another magazine of cartridges that Strada downed almost instantly. "Follow my blade into the depths that not even God dare go!" Strada extended a blade on both ends and he hurled it straight through the plasma ball and anything below, increasing the frequency of the cage strikes tenfold. He raised one hand to the sky and a lightning bolt came down from the clouds into it. "Descend now!" The lightning bolt flew out of his hand and into the lightning rod of his staff. "INDIGNATION!" The final focused strike shattered all of the needles and blew out all of the stadium lights, leaving only the natural illumination of the building itself.

Erio's eyes slowly got readjusted to the lower lighting. He was panting and sweating heavily. "Hgk! GUAH!" His arm began convulsing uncontrollably, the nerves sending random signals to the muscles from the excess electricity he had absorbed. The pain was too much and he fell to the ground outside of the crater. "Ku… so! I took… in… too much! But…" He chuckled through the pain. "I did it… Caro… I'll… save you… soon."

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

"Unh?!" His eyes went wide, the pain he was experiencing instantly an afterthought. The smoke began to clear, revealing a dome of blue and green scrawl.

"_Power Shell duration, two shots._" Jor spoke as the protectorate fell. "_Marked as failure._"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The dark Soran stood, Jormungand Zwei in Gillium Form.

"He… survived?!" Erio forced himself to stand. "But he can't attack while charging! Now's my chance to…." Jor spread its black wings. "_Stop it early or let it complete. If you think it's too far along, run like hell!_" Soran's advice rang in his head. "Shit!" He turned tail and started running. "Strada!"

"_Javol!"_ It cocked its reserve cartridge and flew up to him quickly.

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The barrel rotated as a black ball appeared at the tip, its color slowly shifting to white.

Erio tried his best to grab the staff, but his convulsing hands kept slipping off. "I can't… grip it!"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The ball of white light burned hot.

"Egh!" In a bout of desperation, Erio leapt, wrapping his arms and legs around the staff as tightly as possible. "Go Strada! Go!" The device went to full burn.

"Pagua sunfa. White Hole! PAGUA SUN FAIRE!" The light rippled in a wall of particles that stretched out in a pulsating wave, throwing Erio to the grandstands. The pulses continued, faster and faster, pounding the stadium until the foundation gave way and that section collapsed, taking Erio and Strada with it as it was blown into the streets.

The White Hole's energy fizzled out and it disappeared. "_Type 6 successful._"

"Iguzo, Jor." The black-clad teen looked on unemotionally as he took a little hop, and his new boots coasted him to where the pieces of the grandstand landed. He plucked the boy from the wreckage with his left hand. Erio was already unconscious and bleeding from multiple shrapnel wounds, his arm still twitching. "You took Soran's advice. If you hadn't you'd be dead right now. Jor."

"_Acknowledged._"

"Kuso… if it weren't for this thunderstorm, we would've been there already." Vita grunted as Zaphila galloped under her.

Synchronized Hayate and Rein was flying low next to them. "It's all we can do, or else we'd be prime targets for lightning strikes. Damn it Soran, why didn't you stop Erio?!"

"They care too much about their comrades." Signum spoke flatly, Akito's wings giving her enough speed to match the other two. "The possibility of rescuing Caro without involving everyone must have been too temp-."

Suddenly there was a flash of light from Melchior Stadium, followed by a large explosion, lit up by bright orange flames. Rein gasped. "Full power to thrusters desu! Hurry!" She and Hayate increased their speed, the others close behind.

Arriving there, they found one corner of the stadium in ruins, toppled into the parking lot and street. However on the field itself, knelt Soran amongst flames and rubble. Kiryu and Garyu were in Stone Biter form, jabbed into what was left of the ground. Soran's barrier jacket was in tatters as he panted heavily.

Hayate and Rein split, each of them floating over to him as fast as they could. "Soran-kun! Soran-kun desu!"

"Berkt-chuui, say something! Anything! Respond!"

"Hayate-san…." He turned his head towards them, blood trickling down both sides of his mouth. "Gomen na…." He lost his grip on the device. "sai…." He pitched forward, his energy gone.


	18. Chapter 18

Nanoha StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 18

SMACK! "Kgh!" A raving Fate pulled her hand back for another strike, her victim too shocked and stunned to do anything.

Before she could swing her palm again, Nanoha came behind her and grabbed her wrists tight. "That's enough, Fate-chan! He's already hurting as is!" The two fought against each other as the rest of the room stared, not quite sure what to do. Hayate, Rin, and Subaru all were standing there, trying to figure out what actions to take.

The one in the bandages shifted to the side of the bed, grabbing a crutch with his left hand and standing. He hobbled up to them, favoring his wounded left leg. "Let her go, Nanoha-san."

"Eh?" Nanoha was still fighting Fate with everything she had. "Are you sure?"

"Please, let her go." He nodded.

Nanoha released the blonde, and Soran's purple eyes stared up into hers from the few inches difference in their height. Her maddened tears rolled down her cheeks as she gritted her teeth. "Egh!" She slapped him again, this time using her nails to scrape his cheek.

"Fate-chan!" Hayate was the one to protest this time as everyone started forward.

"DON'T!" Soran yelled quickly, stopping them in their tracks. He returned to staring into her eyes, not even showing that he knew blood was running down his cheek.

"You… little!" She started to swing again.

"We wanted her back." He stated. She halted. "That's all any of us wanted." Soran said it unflinchingly, even knowing that her hand was an inch from his face. "You can slap me until my head rolls off, but it still won't teach me anything. We went there to save Caro. We love Caro, but we also love everyone else in Section 6. We went because we thought we'd be enough, that no one else had to risk their lives when we could do it. We were wrong, and I'm sorry that we were. Now if slapping me makes you feel better, then you can just keep on doing it, but isn't getting them both back what would really put you at ease?"

Fate's hand shook, flattening and curling as she sobbed. "KUSO!" Her long hair flew back as she plowed her fist into his cheek. Before the blow sent him backwards though, she grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug. "Aaahhh! Ahah uhuah!" She cried loudly into his shoulder.

He closed his eyes, his own tears running down his cheek as he raised his good hand to pat her back. Without even hearing it, he knew she was sorry too, and that was enough. After a moment, Nanoha took the woman out of the room to work her own magic in dealing with the grief. Once they were gone, Soran wobbled and went to the floor, spitting out a wad of blood. Someone sprayed a stinging aerosol on his right cheek, shortly followed by a bandage. "Geez, you're such a glutton for punishment, Soran." It was Subaru. She handed him an ice pack for the other cheek. "It doesn't feel like there's anything broken, is there?"

"No… I just had dropped my defenses before the punch. I didn't think she had another strike left." Su and Hayate gingerly put him back in the bed. "Hayate-san, the search…."

She shook her head. "The trail's gone cold. We'll have a full debriefing when you're feeling better."

"Who's going to take care of Fried?" Soran sighed, drawing the sheet into his fists.

"We've called in an old acquaintance who handles summons ~desu."

A young girl with long purple hair and a permanent look of suffering in her eyes watched Fried from the opposite pillar in the morphing field. Between them was a giant checker board with huge insects on the spaces. Fried barked and squeaked. One of the beetles opened its wings and leapfrogged over another.

Lutecia pointed to one of the beetles and it moved, hopping over three of Fried's. "King me."

"Aaarrrrh." Fried sighed in disappointment.

"Engh…." A voice winced in the darkness. Every so often a flash of whitish-blue light appeared, lighting up the room. In the end, the red haired boy could no longer sleep because of it. He opened his eyes to see a robot, its wires reaching towards him. The boy followed the cords until they reached his hand, where they were shoved deep into the skin. A third wire once in a while whipped against the bars, discharging the flash of light. "What are you doing to me?"

"_Subject Erio Mondial confirmed conscious. You will not be harmed in this facility unless you attempt to use any magical abilities, which will be punished. The food polymers delivered to you twice a day are formulated for the proper nutrition for your biological functions. Eat them. You will be released when the master gives his permission._" The robot turned its cameras to the task at hand before raising its head again. "_Currently removing excess electric charge from biological extremity. Movement is prohibited until completion._"

"Well that's awfully nice of you." Erio rolled his eyes before shutting them as he lay there.

"Erio-kun!"

The boy's eyes snapped open. "C-Caro?! Caro is that you?!"

"Oh thank God, you're alive!" Her voice came from down the hall, sobbing a little. "I was so scared that you… that you…."

"I'm sorry, Caro." He looked at the wall. "I thought I had him, but it wasn't enough."

"Erio-kun… that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you're safe." She pressed her hands to her heart. "That's what's really important to me."

Vita appeared on Hayate's screen. "It's just like you thought. We found another Caster." She held it up for her to see. "It was hard to find because of the damage at first, but when the skies cleared up, it got easier."

Hayate bit her lip. "What's the number on it?"

"6. It's one we haven't seen yet. We're gonna have to get the brat's description on this one too."

"Vita." Signum came up next to her, off camera.

The young-looking Wolkenritter's eyes practically popped from their sockets before she jumped backwards, drawing out Eisen. "Th-that thing is deactivated, right?!"

"Yes. It's completely inert."

"Vita-chan, Signum, what is it?" Hayate was straining to see.

"Get it through decontam and rush it to the briefing room quick! Hayate, you'll want to call that debriefing early!" Vita put Graf Eisen away. "We've got a lot more to look through here, so I probably won't make it. You'll have to fill me in later. Vita out."

"You know, being doted on by a pretty girl is one of man's universal fantasies, but somehow this situation really isn't doing it for me." His eyes motioned to the pistol pressed against his temple.

"Look Soran, the only reason I'm doing this is because Subaru has a report to make." Tea twirled a fork through some pasta with one hand and held Cross Mirage against him with the other. Multiple veins on her forehead were throbbing. "I also happened to make this as a get well present. So if you want to keep your brain in your head, I'd suggest you quit it with the embarrassing and insulting and start chewing!" She shoved the fork into his mouth. "God, why can't you do this anyway?! I know your right hand is burnt, but what the hell happened to your left?!"

"If im na thop." She pulled the firing pin back and he swallowed quickly. "I said it's in the shop. It needed to be reset and recalibrated."

"I can't wait until it's done…." She grumbled.

"I can." She flashed him a glare. "Not in that way! I don't think you realize how much it hurts when I have to reattach it. It has to connect to all the nerves and bond with the bone, meaning it has to cut into the skin and everything. It's very unpleasant."

"Great. Now I've lost enough appetite for the both of us." Tea gave up and put the plate onto the tray and slumped, Cross Mirage returning to card form.

"Well I suppose that's good timing after all." Hayate came in with a wheelchair. "Sorry Soran, but we have to bump up the debriefing."

"I'll get Subaru then." Teana got up.

"This is S-rank classified, Tea-chan. I'm afraid you and Subaru can't attend."

Tea balled her fist. "I understand." She quickly turned and stormed off, her pigtails flying behind her.

Nanoha and Fate were already sitting in the briefing room with Rein pacing on the table when Hayate and Soran came in. Shortly after that, Shamal and Akito filed in, with Signum bringing up the rear, with something covered in a black sheet. She placed it on the center table as Hayate sealed the room with her password.

"Is that what Vita wanted rushed down here?" She asked as she sat back down.

"Ah." She went up to it. "First let me say that it is completely deactivated. There are no residual energies whatsoever."

"Hssh!" Soran hissed as he lifted Barrage level to it, a Variable Bullet prepped to fire. Everyone gasped. "It fooled me once already."

"Soran-kun, put that away!" Nanoha reprimanded. "That's an order!"

Soran grumbled as Barrage returned to a key. "Yes ma'am."

She sighed, grabbing the sheet. "So what the heck is this thing we're dealing with anyw- AH!"

The three commanders stood there, paralyzed in shock and fear. Staring up at them was a head, half of it was a blank ceramic-looking metal expression, but on the other half that looked at them was Nanoha's face, the mouth upturned into an evil smirk. It was obviously a robot by the wires coming from it, but no one could shake how the girl's face just clung to it. The first one to move was Fate, her barrier jacket materializing on her as she slowly closed her armored gauntlet. "DAH!" She slammed her fist into it with all her might, splitting the table in the process, completely obliterating the mechanoid. "Geh, heh heh." She panted hard.

Nanoha swallowed now that its gaze was broken. "That's the last straw." Gulping again, she grit her teeth. "If it wasn't before, things just got personal."

"URGH!" Tea slammed her fist into the table, making her empty cup topple over.

"Tea!" Subaru chastised. "What's the matter with you today?"

"What's the matter? For two meetings, two, we've been kept out of the loop! Stupid classified regulations. Caro and Erio were taken away right under our noses, and they refuse to tell us the whole truth! Ugh!" She stood up and started pacing. "You know that not even Soran is allowed to tell us what happened? That's how classified it is! Meaning it has to do with something surrounding him! Even then, I'm the superior officer, and they still won't let me in on what's going on!"

"Tea… It's obviously something very important, probably more important than we could even begin to imagine. I don't think it's fair to complain like…."

"But I'm an Enforcer! This is the type of situation that I've been training for! It's like they're not giving any consideration to anything I've done!"

"You know that's not true, Tea."

She sighed through her nose. "Yeah, I know… it's just I really want to help, and I'm the perfect person to help." She tapped her foot before turning for the door. "I'm going to talk with the subcommanders again."

"Tea!"

"Wait, you know what that thing was?!" Soran went wide eyed.

"Ah…." Nanoha said as she sat down, trying to calm herself. "Hayate-chan, if you could…."

She nodded. "Soran-kun, what you just saw is a very dangerous Lost Logia that was used in the dimensional wars called a Clown Warrior. It's an android that seeks and steals information to improve itself. It also has the ability of one way psychocommunication." She pulled the file from the computer system. "A few years ago, while Nanoha-chan was undergoing recovery from an illness, Fate-chan was sent after a data thief. It turned out that it was one of these androids. Cornered, it read her mind, finding information about the one opponent she couldn't defeat."

"Nanoha-san." Soran completed the thought. The commanders nodded. "And it gained her physical appearance, voice, and abilities… just like what happened to me."

"Unh." Fate cracked her knuckles.

"Fate-chan almost died that day." Nanoha pressed her hands to her heart. "If it weren't for Yuuno-kun finding out about the thief's true identity and ability, I never would have made it in time to save her."

"I had no idea…" Soran whispered. "So that's why you said it was personal."

Nanoha nodded. "Soran-kun, please tell us what happened. You fought this thing, didn't you?"

He nodded. "I'll have to start a little further back then that though, to where Erio and I got separated."

Erio and I had just made it up the ramp to the grandstands. I had gotten fed up and lost my temper, taunting to try to draw him out. "Feel better now?"

"Maybe just a li…." The tiles cracked under our feet. "…ttle." We both fell through, and that's where I lost sight of him. It was a split second, but that split second made all the difference. Before I could react, I was snared in a net. While struggling to get free, HE hovered over me, Caro's kidnapper.

"**UH?!" The rest of the room gasped. "You mean he showed himself to you?!"**

**Soran nodded.** It couldn't have been anyone else. Covered in black armor and a barrier jacket… and just looking at him gave off a sense of malice. He had bright green hair with darkened streaks in it, and these bright red eyes. He smirked at me… before he turned into me. It was like I was looking into a mirror, the illusion was that perfect. "I'll be borrowing this." He said it in my voice… mine!

"**So he was an android too." Hayate paced.**

"**That can't be right ~desu! Soran-kun said that Casters need life force as a catalyst to the reaction. An android couldn't provide that ~desu."**

"**Rein-san is right. He wasn't an android. He was so close I could feel his breath. He was without a doubt alive."** Then he waved at me before cutting the net loose, and letting me fall the rest of the way down the shaft. "You bastard!" I wrestled with the net until I managed to get loose enough to have Kiryu slice it up. "If you touch a hair on Erio's head I'll kill you, you prick! ACS Mode!" I jumped up, ready to bust through the chimney I fell down until I saw a glint of something from my ACS backwash. "Kgh!" Thwp. BOOM! The ceiling exploded as I banked to avoid it, tossing a flare bomb into the darkness.

The ball exploded and lit up the room. "De-deet." It was that android, holding a sniper rifle with explosive ammo. It shielded its face for a second before mounting the rifle on its back and leaping away.

"You again?!" I gave chase.

"**Hold." Signum raised her hand. "You knew your comrade was in danger, and you decided to chase after another enemy? That's irresponsible."**

"**It might seem that way, but I had a specific purpose. That thing was a sniper that rounded up Caro and I when she was kidnapped, and when Erio and I entered the stadium. The one you fought was using internal programming. Someone was pulling this one's strings."**

"**I see ~desu." Rein nodded. "If you could capture it or keep the memory core intact, you could find out information from its programming, such as the location of its home base ~desu."**

"**Exactly, Rein-san. If I had gone after Erio, it would have just come after me again, so I did what it wanted and followed."** And follow I did. I quickly caught up to it with my ACS as it leaped on all fours through the pipe-laden basement.

At one point I lost sight of it as it rounded a thick drainpipe. I came to a halt and looked around carefully. "No energy readings. It must be in silent running. Barrage, switch to nightvision." No sooner did I say that then I saw its blank face diving at me. It tackled me to the ground before I kicked it off, flipping over and drawing Garyu. We circled each other in the darkness, it could see me as it crouched on the ground in all fours. "Not bad for an overgrown crash test dummy." There was no response. "What's wrong, weren't you built with speakers? Now where's your memory core?"

It leapt again, and I ducked under it, rolling. It pulled out its gun again, aiming at me. "Rainbow!" Rainbow swapped with Barrage on my back.

"_Lightning._" She shot a bolt at the android, the shock made it twitch and short like mad. The rifle shells also detonated, effectively disarming the robot when the rifle itself exploded.

I didn't give it the chance to recover. "Engh!" I slammed my foot hard into its torso and flung it into an armored pipe. Dashing forward I caught its neck and pinned it, and I put Barrage right at its midsection. "Let's see if you react to Asimov's three laws. Robot, you are in violation of robot law 1: Thou shall not harm a human. Power down and surrender your memory core for reprogramming." I felt for sure I had it beat.

"**But then you felt it… you felt something that was off." Fate clenched her fist. "You could feel it touch your mind, and hear its monotone voice in your head. 'Searching for probable candidates. Selected. Terminate.'"**

"Not bad, boy. But you know…." Nanoha-san's face materialized over the blank. "It's going to take a lot more than that!"

"EH?!" I was in shock, seeing Nanoha-san in front of me, using those same words from our first spar. She… I mean it… the android… I don't know, I'll just call it she, used the opportunity to throw me to the side.

"If this is your way to ask for my approval for dating Subaru, you have it." She said as I stood up. The rest of her body changed in height and proportions to match Nanoha-san, and her barrier jacket washed over her. And out of nowhere, Raising Heart Excellion was in her hand.

"What are you?! You're not Nanoha-san!" I set Kiryu and Garyu to Flashform and prepped Barrage.

"To even the field, I could use a standard device." She dove straight for me with a demonic smile on her face. "Now let's see what you can do with those upgrades of yours!"

"Ergh!" I swung Barrage hard, deflecting the dive, whirling it to the shooting end and fired as she slid to the side. "Kgh!" Both missed and I kicked to the side as well to parallel her, pipes and cables passing between us. Then she disappeared. "Uh?!" I whirled around and lifted my right arm just as a Divine Buster stream went under it. "Kisama!" I slid to the side before she could move the beam and dove at her full throttle, Kiryu and Garyu on my wrists.

She lifted her free hand and caught the blade. The materialized code started to float off. Garyu turned the blade straight forward and I plunged my right fist into her chest. All she did was look down at the wound and looked up again, giving me a headbutt. I staggered back, instinctively raising Barrage and firing. In a flash, she raised Raising Heart and deflected it away from her head. "You'll be deducted points for that, Soran-kun."

"**It really is a horrifying sight, seeing that." Soran slumped in his wheelchair, his good arm desperately begging to grip something. "I knew it wasn't Nanoha-san, but she was standing there in front of me in every detail, with a hole straight through her chest, smiling at me like I hadn't done anything to her."**

**Nanoha put her hand in his. "Soran-kun, this is what's real. Try to think of the difference when you're facing that memory." She gave a quick look to Fate, who nodded. It was the same thing she did for her after facing that demon.**

"You have no right to use that voice." I snarled as my weapons returned to key form. Tossing them in the air, I was beyond angry. "You have no right to say those words." They materialized onto my arm in level two form, and I pointed it at her with bared fangs. "Now, fake, taste the power of the original's successor!"

"_Inferno._" My fire stream drove towards her, and she raised her hand, creating a Round Shield.

"Then I'll just go around it!" I kicked off a pipe, using them like bumper pool while trying to get past her shield.

She swept Raising Heart to the side. "Arc Shooter. SHOOT!" I didn't see any energy bullets come from her though. Then I caught it out of the corner of my eye as I slid around a drainpipe, one was following me like a homing missile.

"Egh!" I turned around and opened my left hand.

"_Glacier._" I fired a chunk of ice at it, slowing it down, but it was too late.

"Chain Bind!" The fake yelled, and I suddenly found myself wrapped up by chains as the spell I attacked hit me straight in the chest. She smiled that hideous warped smile as she walked up to me. "Thank you, Soran-kun." She patted my cheek and gave me a hug. It was cold. Everything about her was cold. Then she hopped into the air and rose as high as she could. "Burst 3."

"**Hah?!" Hayate gasped as the others leaned forward.**

"Strike Flame." She pointed the weapon at me and rotated it horizontal. Raising Heart loaded four cartridges and spread her six wings, opening her strike spear. "Excellion Buster ACS!"

"**But you had no shield! That should have canceled the command!" Nanoha's body was rife with tremors.**

"**It's based on memory alone. Soran didn't know about that condition, so she never had it." Signum lifted her head.**

"Drive!"

I had to do something quickly. Looking at my left arm armor, it purged itself, my keys reverting, giving me enough time to slip out of the chains. "KIRYU!" She expanded to shotel form and I slashed the chains holding my arms. "ACS FULL THROTTLE!" My ankle wings glowed brighter than the sun I pulled straight up, dragging the chains with me, the one on my right leg breaking.

"Strike Flame!" The blade plunged into my left leg.

"GAAAHHHRYUU!" I screamed through the pain, and Garyu dropped down to my right boot and spread. I gave her a swift deep-cutting kick to her chest. She stumbled backwards, pulling out her blade in the process, beginning to raise it again.

"**But how? Sustaining such a deep cut should have at least affected some of its motor skills." Hayate mused.**

"**I think I can answer that ~desu." Rein flew over and poked Nanoha's breast.**

**She turned red and covered her chest. "For once I'm actually regretting being well endowed."**

**Soran side glanced them and rolled his eyes. "Now that we've established for the Nth time that Nanoha-san has a voluptuous frame…."**

"_Axtform!"_ There was no time for pain as Kiryu and Garyu formed my axe.

"I'll be taking your head!" I leapt up, swinging the axe at a horizontal level. She stopped it with Raising Heart and slammed a hard kick into my chest. "Dwaaa! Hgk!" I decelerated quickly, both my wrists were snared by another Chain Bind. "Heh. You left two Chain Bind spells unactivated. In all the commotion I didn't notice. Well played."

She rose again. "Arigato, Soran-kun! With all the magic in the air from your attacks, I can attack at full power!" Nanoha-san's signature magic circle formed below her as the magical particles in the air became visible, beginning to collect in front of her.

"Or maybe not!" Barrage and Rainbow finished their expansion between the chains and my wrists, shattering them. "Now it's my turn. Struggle Bind!" The plumbing pipes burst around her, the balls of energy I had secretly laid into the drainpipe exploding into ropes that snared her.

"SORAN-KUN!" She gritted her teeth, struggling to break free. Her attack had dissipated completely.

"Rend this world with eternal plasma. Encase this world with eternal ice. Ignite this world with eternal flames."

"_Lightning. Glacier. Inferno._"

"Elements of Destruction!"

"_Trinity Buster._"

"May this enemy be cleansed!" My buster hurtled towards her at breakneck speeds, consuming her in the multicolored light, also punching a hole through the roof above her.

The fake's barrier jacket started to disintegrate at the edges, as did her hair. Even so, she still smiled at me with that face. "You'll have points docked for that, Soran-kun."

My Struggle Bind was weakening from the attack. I could already see some holes in the energy web. If I didn't do something quickly, she would have been free again, so I crouched down low. "Kiryu! Garyu! Mole Mode!"

"_Stonesser Form."_

They combined into my energy drill and landed in the ground. "ACS Critical Drive!" Everything I had went into my ACS as I stopped the Buster and grabbed the drill with both hands. Blasting off, I reached her just as the bonds snapped. "This ends now!" I slammed her into and through the stomach with all my might, the momentum pushing us through the hole in the ceiling. "HeeeaaaAAAAAHHHH!" We launched into rainy night sky and I slammed what was left of her into the turf of the field, leaving a big hole with my drill as well.

"Kgh… hah hah." I slumped, out of breath. The android wasn't moving, but she still had that same twisted grin on her face. I looked around. "Erio…" An entire wall of the stadium was destroyed, and the rest of it showed massive signs of battle damage. "I'm too late…" I tried to stand, but pain shot through my left leg and I went back down again, once again level to her demonic face. "At least I have this thing. The memory core is bound to…"

Her limbs came back to life and wrapped around me in a tight lock. Her head slowly lifted in a jerky fashion to meet me eye to eye. "Get ready for a surprise!"

"**But I don't remember ever saying…."**

"GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Everything was consumed with white and heat and pain. The next thing I remember seeing was Hayate-san rushing towards me through the fire.

"So it self-destructed." Signum shook her head. "It's a miracle you even survived that."

"So that's why you said it fooled you. It played possum." Nanoha sat down next to Soran as he nodded. "Soran, there's one more thing." Soran said nothing, still trying to shake the pain from reliving that moment. She placed her hand on his. "We found another Caster shell."

His eyes shot open wide. "What's the number?"

"Six." Fate answered. "Soran, what does a six do? Is it one of those helpful ones or a weapon?"

"A weapon… a very powerful one. Now I see, then the stadium wall was… but to even get a six?" Soran muttered to himself.

"Soran. Please answer her." Hayate spoke quickly, breaking his train of thought. "What does a six do."

"Uh? Oh. It inverts the polarity of a singularity and creates a White Hole. As opposed to a black hole that sucks matter and energy in, this thing sends matter and energy out. If Erio was near that thing when it fired, he would have been bombarded by pure energy and mass. If I'm right, that's what brought an entire wall of the stadium down." The others began whispering and muttering. "And there's still a second Clown out there." Soran gripped his knee tight, despite his aggravated burns.

"And we don't know what happened to Erio-kun either ~desu." Rein sat on Soran's shoulder, full of worry.

"I don't believe he's dead." Nanoha stood up, pressing her hand to her heart. "This enemy kidnapped Caro for a reason. I don't think it was to draw you and Erio out. It's too complex for something like that. There's something else going on, something that he wants to keep his victims alive for."

"But what?" Fate sniffled.

"Unfortunately all we can do is wait and see." Hayate stood up and went to unlock the door. "Until then, everyone stay alert and ready. Soran, go get some rest."

Soran nodded as he was wheeled out the door. "I don't understand why you won't listen to me!" He heard something coming from around the corner, and he peeked around, finding Tea shaking a fist at Shamal. Hayate also looked around it. "This is exactly what I've trained for. How am I supposed to become a full fledged Enforcer if I'm not entrusted with one rescue mission like this? Caro and Erio are gone, and I'm the best person for the job to find them and help get them back! This should be my assignment! Why won't you help me convince the commanders of that?!"

Hayate sighed as she pushed Soran down the hall, back to his room. "Are you just going to leave it like that, Hayate-san?"

"No, but that's a private grievance that Teana has. I'll take care of it when I'm finished bringing you to your room."

"I see…" Soran lowered his head, the right corner of his mouth curling slightly. "Good luck with that."


	19. Chapter 19

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 19

_DON DON DON. It was something that raised the young man out of his reverie, reading a book in the evening. It was raining heavily outside, but not so much as to bring about thunder and lightning, and that relaxing noise plus a good book is what Yuuno liked the best. One can imagine his irritation at being disturbed from that._

_He pulled the door open, and in fell a completely drenched Nanoha. Trying to catch her was futile, as she had grown taller faster, sending them both to the floor. "Yuuno-kun! Yuuno-kun!" She sobbed. Looking into her face, he couldn't tell if it was rain or tears dropping onto his glasses._

"_N-Nanoha…" He gently slid her off and sat her up, quickly going to the door and shutting it before any more rain came in. As she tried desperately to wipe her eyes, he finally got a good look at her. Her skirt was in tatters, cuts in her jacket arms as well as across her cheeks. There were twigs in her hair, and her shoes were coated in mud. "Nanoha, what happened?!" He knelt down next to her. "Who did this to you?!"_

"_No… no one…."_

"_Don't lie to me. Who did this?! Hang on, let me get a towel and some bandages." He rushed out of the room._

"_It wasn't anyone…" She whispered to herself. "It was me… it's all me… it's always me." She stared at her soiled hands, clenching them and turning away in disgust. "IT WAS ME!" She pounded her fists hard into the tile._

_Yuuno had just rounded the corner as she did so, and he dropped everything he was holding. "Nanoha-chan, calm down!" He held her tight, but she fought against him._

"_No, keep away from me, Yuuno-kun! I could hurt you! I'm not that girl you knew, I'm a monster!" With a burst of strength he was pushed back hard, and he tumbled backwards. "Just look at me… I even did this to myself, and I just hurt you too. I'm a horrible person."_

"_That's something I'll never believe." The boy sat up and dusted himself off. "Someone that can cry that much can never be horrible." He grabbed a towel and draped it over her before taking another and drying off her hair. She made no move to stop him, her will to fight gone. "Now do you want to tell me what happened?"_

"_Unh." She pursed her lips. "I've gone AWOL." Yuuno paused. "I ran away. I can't face that place. All this was from me wandering through the forest, trying to run away from it all. I… I think I realized somewhere that I couldn't fight it alone. My feet brought me here."_

_Yuuno sighed, pulling the medkit closer. "Take off your jacket. I can't patch you up under long sleeves."_

"_Unh." She sloughed off the rain soaked brown TSAB jacket._

"_Deh…." He sweatdropped. "Didn't they switch you to the summer uniform yet? Why are you wearing a long sleeve shirt too?"_

"_The changeover doesn't hit until two weeks from now." Nanoha paused and put two and two together. "Oh… I'm going to have to take this off too?"_

_Yuuno bit his lip. "Yeah… sorry."_

"_It's ok. My spirit is stained red already. If you want to ravage my body too, that's fine." She started to unbutton it, but Yuuno shoved a large towel in front of her._

"_Well it's NOT fine to me." He said with his eyes wedged shut. "At least put this on! I'm not about to be the one to damage your dignity!" He turned around quickly, making sure his eyes were extra tightly shut._

"_Yuuno-kun…" She smiled sadly before turning around as well. "Okay, Yuuno-kun." They both turned around. "I removed the skirt too. My legs are kind of cut up, aren't they?"_

_Seeing the girl gave him a burning sensation in his nose that he fought very hard to stave off. "Y-yeah… now just hold still while I try to patch you up." Concentrating on her wounds helped, and the pain went away. "S-so you went AWOL and wound up here?"_

"_Unh."_

_He sat down in front of her for a second and looked straight into her eyes. "What are you running from, Nanoha?"_

"_Operation Bushfire…." She gripped her heart as she said it. "I was ordered into what was supposed to be a hostile area, but it was…." She relived the moment again and the bile started coming up. She clamped her hand over her mouth and searched frantically as spray was beginning to leak through her fingers. She snatched a nearby trash can and began to vomit. "There… there wasn't any… BLUGH… enemies…. They were… all civBLUUUUEAAHH! I… I killed them… I murdered… KUAGH!"_

"_Nanoha-chan." Yuuno pulled her hair back and rubbed her back carefully._

"_There… was a boy…." She panted, wiping her mouth off with the smaller towel. "He was… so driven by revenge that… he destroyed himself… because I killed his parents. I couldn't save him. I couldn't save anyone!"_

"_Nanoha…" He held her tightly, her body wracked in shivers and sobs. And then he noticed something. "Nanoha… you're really warm." He placed a hand on her forehead. "You're completely burned up! How long were you out in that rain?!"_

"_Hours… maybe… four?" She slumped over on him as he chastised her. But his words fell on deaf ears as she fell asleep, hoping it would be the last time, so she would appease the ones she killed._

Nanoha's eyes snapped open. She looked to the other side of the bed, seeing the back of Fate's head. She bit her lip and reached for her nightgown as she silently slid out of bed. Tying it tight around her, she slid open the door to the balcony and closed it behind her. She looked up to the stars and shivered slightly. "The dreams are becoming more frequent. Why is it this keeps happening?" She gripped the rail. "It was right here that Soran forgave me… so why do I keep drudging up those memories in the form of nightmares?" She put her hand against her heart. "I guess I really can never forgive myself for that day, unless I hear it from one of them… but they're all dead… by my hands." She paused there for a while, looking into the stars. Then her chest tensed up so much she almost couldn't breathe. "I have a bad feeling!"

Scaglietti certainly wasn't lost for entertainment in his cell on the penal colony. He got a window seat in his isolation room to watch space dust fly by as they floated in dimensional limbo. He sat there and sipped his water like it was a fine glass of wine. After he put it down, he closed his eyes and listened to the dust hit the shield outside, if such a thing were possible. Then his cup started to rattle ever so slightly on the table. He opened his eyes and quickly clamped his hand over it. A small pitch-black portal opened above his table, and something came through, landing on his tray. Saying nothing, he quickly picked it up and shoved it in his mouth.

The guard tapped the door with his club. "Mealtime's over. Hands on the wall strip." He placed his hands on the glowing panel on the wall and a power energy clamp activated, holding him there. The guard quickly went to the tray. "You didn't finish your drink. You'd better do that next time. The lunch ladies don't take kindly to unfinished meals."

"My apologies, sir. I thought I had longer than I did. Would you allow me to finish it?"

"Nice try." He scoffed as he headed out the door, locking the security field and releasing the clamp. "Remember, it's ballet night. Your fellow inmates should be putting on quite a show."

Jail sat back down and stared out the window until he was sure the guard was gone. "Though I love a little culture, I don't think an all-male performance of the Sound of Music is what I would call culture." He pulled out the package under his tongue. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel that." He opened up the small bag and pulled out a golden cartridge marked 6, and a note. He smiled and lowered his brow. Placing the shell at the windowsill, he stood and raised his arms. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." He continued chanting ever so quietly as the cartridge began to glow.

"Commander, we've got an odd fluctuation on the scopes." One of the observers in the colony's command center reported.

"What kind of fluctuation?"

"It's the interdimensional wall. Something is weakening it, and it's bending towards us."

"That's impossible. Check your instruments."

"I've done that twice sir."

"Sir, patrols in that area just reported a visual change to the interdimensional wall. It's bowing in!"

The lighting changed to red as alarms blared throughout the colony. "Sir, I've got a high energy mass emanating from the distortion. It's breaking through the wall! My God… it's gigantic!"

A sonic boom coursed over the colony's shield as a dark mass with golden specks slowly tore through space. "What's the source dimension? Track it!"

"The readings from the tear are off the scale! Sir, I think it's coming out of Slipstream!"

"It's that damn Slipstream-blocking asteroid!"

"Sir, something of that size will completely obliterate us!"

"I know. Begin the evacuation order. Secure the prisoners!"

"But with a secure evacuation, we won't have enough time!"

"The shield will protect us for as long as we need. Nothing's getting through that without one hell of a fight."

"_Attention. Attention. This is not a drill. Secure all prisoners for immediate evacuation. Secure all prisoners for immediate evacuation."_ The advisory blared throughout the halls.

"I think not." Jail smirked, chanting louder and faster. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

The asteroid emerged from the wall completely and headed towards the station at an ever increasing speed. When its tip hit the shield, it acted like a battering ram. The shockwave rippled over it and it exploded into billions of crystals. "Sir, the shield!"

"No! All hands abandon ship! Repeat! All hands abandon…!"

Jail raised his arms towards the black demon that approached his window and he laughed. "My gratitude to you young Starwind! PAGUA SUNFA!"

"Okay, here's the last of it!" The server placed the last plate of food on the table. "Congratulations on your four month anniversary." She bowed, as the girls and young women in prison smocks drooled, looking at the table. "Make sure to say grace before you eat."

"GRACE!" All of the cyborgs said, as the feast at the rehabilitation center began in madhouse styling.

"Eep!" The server gasped as she jumped back, heading towards the security guards. "You could lose an arm in there! It's like a school of piranha!"

"They just like your cooking is all."

"I really hope so. Major Nakajima didn't give me a menu since she was called away, so I hope I made the right choices."

"I'm sure you did just…."

"PUEALGH!" A random sound erupted from the cyborgs simultaneously.

"What the?" They both rushed the table to find them all either on the floor or leaning on the table, covered in puke, moaning and gripping their stomachs.

The only one that was basically clean was Otto, watching them all in confusion. "I don't really understand. But if this is what the celebration entails…." He stuck his finger down his throat and retched.

Ginga dried her hands and came out of the bathroom at the library, only to see everyone crowding the news monitors. "What's going on?" She asked, but no one answered as the newscaster returned.

"We now return to our breaking news story. The unknown asteroid that has been blocking Slipstream travel for weeks broke through its wall less than an hour ago, penetrating the interim limbo where Penal Colony 15236 is located. The asteroid impacted the station, completely destroying it. It appears there are no survivors. Though there has been no explanation as to why this occurred, foul play is suspected, and investigators…."

"Penal Colony 15236?! That's where Scaglietti is…." Her esophagus got short and she raced back to the bathroom. "PLUUUEEEAAAHHH!" Her watch beeped as she wiped off her face. "Nakajima."

"Major, the Cyborgs started their anniversary dinner and then started giving it back all over themselves! I didn't cook it badly, I swear! I don't know what to do!"

"They're vomiting?" She gasped hard. "Masaka!" She hung up, and her hands went to her stomach, staring into the mirror in horror. "Damn you, Scaglietti! When did you have time to… MPPH!"

"Aaahhh…" Fate gasped as she stared at the screen.

Nanoha gulped. "No survivors… that's over 400 staffers and inmates…"

"Even though they were all criminals, this is still a dark day." Hayate shook her head. The forwards and the subcommanders nodded in agreement as they watched the coverage.

Soran spread his hands and accessed the terminal that appeared. "WHAT?!"

"Uh?" Tea said as everyone turned towards him.

"What's wrong, Soran?" Subaru walked up and looked over his shoulder. "The inmate list… why are you… EEH?! Scaglietti was on that colony?!"

"He was?" Tea rushed over and confirmed it. "Well that's it for him then. Bye bye bastard. Fate-daichou, you must really be happy right now about that news."

"You idiot!" Soran grunted at her. "How can she be?! Don't you know what that means?!"

"You did NOT just call me an idiot, Soran!" She whirled around, shaking her fist. "What could possibly be so bad not to be happy about him passing on?!"

Fate sighed. "Scaglietti revealed his master plan when I was about to kill him. All of the female Cyborgs were pregnant with his clone, which, upon his death, would be removed from stasis and would be born within a week, and be full grown within a month after. If he had died, 11 Scagliettis would have been born."

"And now that he's dead, that means they'll all…." Subaru looked away. "I feel so sorry for them."

"The ones that repented and are going through rehabilitation are going to have to go through that, knowing that their child is the man they hate…." Tea put her arms at her sides. "And to think I was happy he was dead…."

Hayate stood up from her chair. "Rein, contact the other Penal Colonies that are holding the unrepentant cyborgs. We need to increase their observation, and have medical and security teams stand by."

"Are we going to kill them or arrest them?" Vita looked up from the lower level. "The Scaglietti clones I mean."

"That's something Command will have to decide."

"I'll advise them to call an emergency meeting ~desu." Rein typed away like mad.

Shamal got out of her seat. "I'm going to have to bone up on my labor and delivery scenarios. If there's one thing I've learned, no pregnancy is identical, and if we're going to have 11 simultaneous deliveries anything could happen. Shari, we're dealing with biotech wombs. I could use your input."

"Uah… this is going to be unpleasant." Shari gulped as she got up too.

"I'm going to call Gin-nee." Subaru turned towards the door.

"Su, don't!" Soran called after her. "Think about it, Su. The Rehab Center must be going nuts right now. Your call will just get in the way. Let her handle it, and call her when things have cleared up, okay? Or maybe head out there and see if you can help?"

"That's a great idea, Soran!"

"No you don't, Subaru." Nanoha chastised. "Section 6 personnel are still under lockdown and watch. You're not going anywhere until we can assure your safety."

"But…."

"We'll send some people to secure the Rehab Center. Is that fair enough?"

Subaru paused, pouting slightly. "Hai."

"We've got less than a week to prep for every scenario. I want contingency plans on my desk by the end of the day!" Hayate ordered.

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Dismissed."

"I'm really sorry you couldn't go, Su." Soran matched pace with her as she headed to her barracks. "But Nanoha-daichou is right. With Erio and Caro still missing and that bastard on the loose, the safest place to be is here. I know I for one don't want to lose you."

"Thanks Soran. I can say the same of you." Subaru sighed as she stopped in front of her door. "It's just I bet it's tearing up Gin-nee as much as them. I mean, she took it upon herself to train them all again. I'm sure she's feeling horrible that they have to go through it, and she can't even help. Maybe I should call her after all…."

"How about you send an e-mail instead? That way it will get to her, and she can take it whenever she has time?"

"Yeah. I think that's smart." She kissed him tenderly. "Good night, Soran."

"Good night, Su."

The door shut between them and she turned to the terminal on the table, which was already lit up. "Huh?" She sat down. "An e-mail from Gin-nee?"

'Subaru, I didn't think it was possible, but my worst fear is true. The demon's seed is growing so fast. I need to stop it before it's too late, before I lose control. Forgive me, dear sister. To protect you, I have to say this final goodbye. I love you. Be happy with Soran.'

"Forgive her? Final goodbye?!" Subaru sat up and started writing a reply. 'Gin-nee, what are you talking about? I have nothing to forgive you for, and what's this whole final goodbye stuff? It's like you're about to die or something. Knock it off. It's creepy. I just want you to know I heard about what's happening at the Rehab Center, and I'm here, offering my support to you and your trainees. Let me know if there's anything you need. Love you, Gin-nee. Talk to you soon.'

The next morning, Fate switched from her workout clothes to her uniform and sat down in her office to do some paperwork. No sooner had she picked up her pen did the terminal ring. "Harlown."

"Commander Harlown, this is Lieutenant Legretta down at the Cyborg Rehab Facility."

"Ah yes, what can I do for you, Legretta?"

"Have you been in recent contact with Major Nakajima? She's been out of contact for a full 24 hours and hasn't returned to the facility."

"No, not recently." Fate paused, dropping her pen. "Are you saying she's gone missing?!"

"Considering what's been going on, that's my only assumption."

"Kgh! Could it be he got her too?" She bit her thumb. "I'll call you back when I know anything." She disconnected. "Subaru." The video screen popped up to reveal the girl, tears running down her face. "Subaru, what's wrong?" The girl held up a pendant for her to see. "That's Blitz Caliber!"

"She sent me a weird e-mail yesterday. I thought it was just a joke, but this came in the mail this morning. Fate-daichou, I'm scared. What if something happened to her? What if it's really her final goodbye?"

Fate bit her lip. "Subaru, go spend some time with Soran, and talk it out with him for a bit. I'll do some sniffing around. Hang in there." She hung up the phone. "Damn it… this isn't what we needed."

"Commander, Teana Lanster reporting as ordered." She saluted Hayate.

It was returned. "Have a seat." Fate and Reinforce Zwei were on either side of the Section 6 commander. "Well, Tea-san, it looks like you're getting your wish after all."

"Eh? You mean I'm being put on the kidnapping case?" She smiled in hope.

"No. This is a different case, but it might not be unrelated." Fate plopped a file in front of her, with Ginga's picture clipped to the cover. "Ginga Nakajima has gone missing. We either predict that she's gone AWOL or was taken and forced to send this note to Subaru. Find her, and quickly."

"Ginga-san…." Tea bit her lip. "Do you think it has to do with the death of Scaglietti or Caro and Erio's kidnappings?"

"That's indeterminate." Hayate shook her head. "Fate-chan will be your senior handler and partner. She has more connections than you think. We need to find her quickly, or else the entire Rehab project might all be for naught, and the girls will be sent to prison indefinitely. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'll gather up my materials and depart straight away."

Soran tossed some of the cafeteria food into a plastic bowl and sealed it up before getting a plate of his own and going through the line a second time. He sighed, not realizing he had company in the line. "Is that for Subaru?" The tall woman with short blonde hair asked, motioning to the bowl.

"Yeah, she's still confining herself to her room. She's really scared for Gin right now." The two went to an empty table. "It's been five days and still not a word. How are things on your end, Shamal-sensei?"

"Well I've memorized every possible scenario I can think of, and I've got books of the extremely rare complications at the ready just in case. We'll be bringing the rehab cyborgs here for the birth. We're the best equipped to handle it all, security and medical has a heavy presence after all." She sighed. "Before the day is done, we're going to have a few records on our hands, let alone criminal babies."

"Nothing!" Tea slammed her back into the passenger seat of Fate's convertible and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I've gone to every possible place she could have gone to. We've checked hospitals, we've checked morgues. Her account record doesn't list her as getting any tickets or anything. So where did she go?"

"So the trail's gone cold, and we're out of time." Fate sighed. "We tried our best, Teana, but we should report back."

Tea looked at the Investigative Bureau logo on Fate's clutch purse. "Not just yet…. Fate-daichou, did Ginga ever use a codename during investigations? Maybe she went under an alias!"

"Of course!" Fate snapped her fingers. "Bardiche, network logon."

"_Connected._"

"Cross reference the alias Ingit Refil with all area hospitals and medical centers from the position of disappearance."

"_Working. Match Found. Ingit Refil checked into the Caspar Center six days ago, and left within three hours._"

"Call them." Fate ordered, and the number dialed.

"Caspar Center of Vaginal Medicine."

"This is Commander Fate T. Harlown of TSAB Section 6, currently conducting an urgent missing-person's investigation. Six days ago, an Ingit Refil signed in. I need to know who she saw and why."

"One moment please." She put her on hold, soft music playing across the screen. Tea polished her gun while they waited. "Commander Harlown, Ingit Refil was here to see Doctor Balthazar about a pre-abortion examination."

"A pre-abortion exam? Why would she need…" Tea clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh no, not her too!"

"Get me a hold of this doctor, right away!" Fate grunted as she shifted to high gear. "We're heading to meet him in person."

Soran got out of the car and looked up at his apartment complex. "_Nanoha-san, Subaru is getting hard to manage in her crisis. I want to help her, but really there's nothing more I can do here. Please grant us a little time off base, at least."_

"_I can't do that, Soran. You know that. As long as the person that kidnapped Caro and Erio is out there, we can't take any unnecessary risks! I won't lose another teammate."_

"_I understand that, but she and I are both going stir crazy in here!"_

"_I still can't do it, Soran-kun. I'm sorry."_

_Soran took a deep breath and sighed. "Can you at least meet me halfway? Let me get some stuff from my apartment that might entertain her. That green-haired prick wasn't after me, he was after Erio and Caro. It wouldn't make sense to come after me now when he could have grabbed me then as well."_

_Nanoha pouted, raking her teeth against her lower lip. "You've got ten minutes. In and out. The rest, you're in a secure transit."_

"Ten minutes." He rushed up the stairs and got to his door, only to find it ajar, the frame bent from the lock being popped open. He took a step back and surveyed the area. "Barrage." He whispered, and instantly it was in his hand. "Garyu. WAS Mode, surveillance." Garyu's key rushed into the room as the visor washed over Soran's eyes. It showed the layout for his apartment, indicating it detected something in the kitchen. Pushing the door open slowly, he stepped into the room as silently as possible. The place was a mess, and reeked of rotten food and unwashed clothes.

"Aom. Chom chom chom. Glup. Ngh?! PWEAAAHH!" A variety of strange sounds came from the kitchen.

He pressed his back against the wall, prepping Barrage to fire. Then he rushed around the corner. "Hold it right...!" He saw the person there, sitting on the floor in front of the open fridge, long purple hair tied with a black bow going across the tile floor. "Ginga?!" She whipped her head around quickly, her eyes an enraged yellow, and she kicked off, trying to throw a punch. He blocked her fist quickly, which was clutching a carrot. "Gin, it's me!"

Her eyes quivered in recognition as the color returned to normal. "Soran? Oh God, Soran!" She threw herself on him in a hug.

"What are you doing here?" Soran pulled her away. "Do you have any idea how worried Subaru is?!" Ginga bit her lip and backed up, looking away, ashamed. "Ahhh!" She stood there as a woman full term with child, clothes she took from his drawers barely fitting her.

"Soran… you have to kill me." She held her stomach tightly. "I… I can't have my baby. Heh, listen to me, the damn maternal programming again. Mgh!" She rushed over to the trash can and vomited. "Fitting ten months of gestation into seven days is hell."

As she hurled, Soran blindly activated his watch, speed-dialing Teana, and turning the speaker down. "Ginga, why are you in my apartment?"

"Scaglietti managed to knock me up too. I didn't think he had the time before the last battle, but I was wrong. When he died... I already knew. I tried to get rid of it, I really did, but the gestation program has overwritten my common sense with overbearing maternal instinct. I couldn't abort it, and I couldn't take my own life." She grabbed Barrage and pointed it at her womb. "I'm carrying the demon that abused all cyborgs. I can't give birth to that. I'll never be able to forgive myself. Soran, I'm at full term and can go into labor at any moment. You have to kill me before that happens!"

Soran was in shock. "Kill you…. I… I can't do that, Gin! What it would do to Subaru… to everyone… that can't… there has to be another way. Let's go to Section 6, and they'll take him out, okay?" He grabbed her arm and tugged her towards the door.

"NO!" Her eyes flashed yellow and her palm slammed into his chest and flung him to the sofa. "Soran, I'm so sorry! It's the maternal programming. Anything that would lead to me causing my baby's death is stopped. That's why I came here. I knew you'd come eventually. You have to finish me off before I give birth! You're the only one I trust to do it!"

Soran bit his lip, shaking his head slowly. He gripped his scalp and tugged. "This wasn't supposed to happen. It was just to take their eyes off me for a bit. I never thought you would get involved like this!" He looked at her with tears in his eyes.

"Soran… why… why are you crying? This isn't your fault. I'm asking you this because I trust you." She gritted her teeth and gripped her stomach. "That was a contraction. Soran… I…." Her eyes turned yellow as she paused in mid sentence. "No… he's cognizant… I… I can hear him. Stop talking to me! Stop laughing, Jail!"

"Scaglietti is communicating with you… from the inside?!"

"Soran, you have to do it now! I can feel the maternal programming starting to take over. Soran, if you care for me at all, you have to do it while I'm still me!" She looked down, liquid soaking the pants. "My water just broke, hurry!"

He raised Barrage, its tip glowing with a bullet. "Gin-nee… I… I'm sorry. This is all my fault…."

"DO IT!"

"I… CAN'T!" He tossed Barrage away, kicking off the sofa and diving at her. "I'll hold you until help arrives."

"Like hell, you TSAB bastard!" Her eyes changed into a dark yellow and her hand clasped around his throat as they struggled. He felt her stomach tense under him. "GUAH!" She released him and he hopped backwards.

"You can't fight when you're in labor, Ginga. Those contractions will get you before you can defeat me."

"I don't care. My baby is going to come soon, and I'll make sure that you'll never have him!" She paused, her eyes fluctuating between blue and yellow, her face in shock. "Wait…" She stared at him in horror. "It was you?! It was all you?!"

"Kgh! Scaglietti, you bastard! Shut up in there! You're under arrest, so use your first right and remain silent!" Soran roared.

"Soran… Starwind?! You're the Starwind heir?! HUAGH!" She collapsed to the floor.

"Ginga… come on. It's not too late. Subaru still needs her sister. Just trust me."

She backed up, dragging herself along the floor as he approached. "Stay away from me! Now I understand! You're responsible for it all! The computer error, the kidnappings, you… you're the reason I'm having this baby?!" Her face was enraged, her eye color swapping back and forth, cold sweat running down her cheeks. "Well DADDY, get ready to meet your son, cause here he comes!" She leaned back and screamed.

Teana, Shamal, and a bunch of MPs rushed into the room, surrounding her. She thrashed at them, but fighting had already become impossible for her, as they took her and her newborn into custody. Tea looked at her phone. She had lost the connection. And Soran was nowhere to be found.


	20. Chapter 20

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 20

"KUSO!" The boy's fist slammed into the wall.

"_Well, that is it then. Game over."_

"One mistake… it was just one mistake. How was I supposed to know that he got to Ginga before he was captured? And because of that everything's blown. I hurt Gin-nee horribly, and Subaru will probably find that out too. Plus Tea heard everything Gin said to me."

"_That was another mistake._"

"What was I supposed to do? It was the only way to get them there without her knowing."

"_You should have done what she asked and killed her._"

"NEVER!"

"_As usual, you humans are too soft._"

"Jor…."

"_So what now that your perfect plan is ruined? Should I release the prisoners? They are a drain on my resources anyway._"

Soran's watch beeped. "An e-mail? From Tea?"

'I haven't told anyone what I heard. I'll give you one chance to explain yourself. You deserve that much for being kind to Subaru, and sparing Ginga's life. Contact me, and we'll meet face to face. –Tea.'

"Teana…."

"_Humans are far too soft."_

Subaru sat down in the chair, Tea looking at her in a serious manner. "So, Gin-nee was a pregnant cyborg too?" Tea nodded. "And she was hiding in Soran's apartment? And he signaled you to catch her? And she's okay?"

"Physically, she'll recover, but mentally… she's in bad shape. I think you know why."

"Unh." Subaru nodded. "She was kidnapped, raped, converted into an obedient brainwashed cyborg, and when she finally felt she was free, she found out she was pregnant by him. Being forced to go through the entire pregnancy and birth to a baby she despised… had to hurt her. When can I see her?"

"Not for a while, Subaru. She has to go through a lot of tests and diagnostics to see if her personality will be able to handle that." She looked into the corner of the room. 'And she'll blab about how Soran was at fault for everything.'

"I see." Subaru sighed. "But at least she's alive, ne?"

"Thanks to Soran."

"Where is he, anyway?"

"Oh that? Um… I dunno." She scratched her cheek. "I-I've got to go make a report. Get some actual sleep, okay?" The door shut in front of her and she balled her fist. "Soran…"

Hayate sighed, shaking her head as she monitored the cells that had the steadily growing Scagliettis. She pressed a button and the images switched to their respective mothers, strapped to their hospital beds, screaming in rage for their children. "To be honest, we didn't expect the maternal instinct programming." Shari said. "We probably should have, considering it was the perfect safety to assure a successful pregnancy."

Nanoha sighed as she scrolled through the medical report. "Can it be overridden or shut down? It's almost as if they've lost their personalities to this… programming."

"Essentially they have." Shamal said. "Since they haven't had anyone other than each other and Scaglietti for most of their lives, they didn't really have a solid anchor like Ginga has."

"So she's doing better than they are?" Fate raised her head, feeling partly responsible for her ordeal.

"At least partially, yes. Her personality fights off the override constantly, but as a consequence she goes into a form of mania, babbling about him ruining her in a vicious rage. We've had to sedate her for now, but if we can get Ginga back to normal, we can use that as a basis to restore the Cyborgs."

"That's good at least ~desu." Rein closed her terminal.

Hayate frowned. "Everything that Scaglietti does leaves a massive wake to clean up after." She stood up and stretched. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I've seen enough birthing to completely convince me never to have one of my own." Most nodded in agreement.

"Sorry to interrupt." Tea said as she entered the conference room. "Fate-daichou, I need to see you for a minute."

"Uh? Unh." She stood up and walked outside.

Tea took a wall and waited for the door to shut. "You and the commanders have been withholding something from Subaru and me, and I think it's high time we need to know. And I want to know it now."

"I'm sorry, Teana-san, but I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm not dumb, Fate-san! There's been something going on in those classified debriefings that you're not divulging, and I'm telling you that now is the time that I need to know."

"Teana Lanster, you are out of line and in violation of TSAB code. If you don't stop making such criminal accusations, I'll have you thrown in the brig!" Fate stood up straight and balled her fists before whipping around to face the door.

"Starwind." Fate's hand jerked back from the panel. "There's something there, in that keyword. If you can't tell me, I'll just find it out somewhere else. You know what happens when I get determined enough." Tea got off the wall and put Fate's hand down to her side. "Now, once again, who is Starwind?"

Fate let out a long breath through her nose before raising her head and turning around. "Gene Starwind was the foremost expert on Casters from Perseus. He and his family were killed during the Persean War during an attack on a residential area."

Teana struggled not to gasp, biting her lip tightly. "And what about the debriefings?"

"That's what we were discussing."

"You're lying. You've had too many classified debriefs just to remind the sub-commanders of that."

Fate gritted her teeth. "I'm breaching more regs than I can count, Teana…. The kidnapper uses Casters, and more than the ones we've seen Soran use." Tea's face was in shock, and she backed away, hitting the wall and shaking her head. "Now I'm going to ask you the same. Is there something you need to divulge to me?"

Tea gritted her teeth. She shook her head and a tear ran down her cheek. 'Forgive me… Subaru.' "Soran Starwind."

Fate shut her office door and sealed it with bind magic, turning the lights down and expanding her terminal screen to the size of a theater's. All of the information she had researched through the entire case popped up, and her eyes ran through it at top speeds. "Why didn't I see it before? I was so careless. It was the only missing link."

The picture of Gene Starwind's family came to the forefront, his near-due wife with that sad smile on her face. "Hello Soran, so this is where you came from."

"It all links up now. Everyone is connected to the Casters. Gene taught the technique to Soran. Gene and Melfina died in the conflict, and Soran was also presumed dead. Mustang Berkt rescued him and adopted him." Fate paused on Berkt's profile. "But at the time Berkt didn't have enough resources to get Soran a new arm…." Her eyes went wide. "Scaglietti! That's how Soran knew him! He must have created his cybernetic arm!" Digging deeper into the file brought her to the bright red restricted access page. She sighed as she called Hayate. "Why hadn't I done this before? Hayate-chan, I need your security clearance to unlock the file I'm sending to you. Whatever you do, don't open it just yet. Leave that to me, but hurry."

"Unh. Give me a couple of minutes, this has quadruple protection. Rein…." The transmission cut out.

Fate got up and traced an evidence board on the screen, linking them all together so far. Then the unlocked sub-contract file appeared. "Thank you, Hayate." She whispered before opening it. She gasped and swallowed. "No…. Subcontract One: Research and Development of Third Generation Clown Warriors. Subcontract Two: Collection and Research Towards the Use of Projectile Singularities. The Berkt family owns a dimension where a chunk of the destroyed universe fell?! That explains how Soran got the Casters." She bit her lip. "This is beyond illegal."

She paced back and forth. "Okay, that links Soran to Starwind and Scaglietti and Berkt. But how does that link to everything else?" Fate pointed and expanded the news coverage on the Penal Colony disaster. "That piece of the destroyed universe could only be moved by a used Caster, towards the person that is doing the focusing. Then Scaglietti had a Caster? How'd he get it." After she thought for a minute, she smacked her forehead. "Of course!"

"He used a type 0." Fate explained to the audience, which consisted of all the Commanders and Sub-Commanders in the Omega-Classified room, sealed up tightly. "As we know, a type 0 opens up a portal to another location. If Soran used a type 0's Extra Shot, he could have easily teleported another used Caster into Scaglietti's room."

Nanoha was gripping her skull tightly. "I can't believe this. I won't believe this. Soran isn't the kind of person to do that. He hated Scaglietti!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't be willing to use him for his own gains." Vita turned around. "Admit it, Nanoha, we were played."

"No!" She slammed her fists into her table. "I'm not convinced at all! There was no reason for him to do it!"

"On that I disagree." Signum stood up. "Because of the mass chaos and resources we used due to the aftermath of Scaglietti's death, he might have wanted to seize the opportunity to kidnap another one of our team."

"But there wasn't any opportunity." Zaphila opened his jaw. "Because of Ginga's disappearance and the lockdown, no one was separated."

"Which leads me to believe that it was his biggest error in judgment." Fate nodded. "None of us expected for Ginga to fall pregnant, so I doubt he would have either."

"I'm still not convinced!" Nanoha stood up and pointed at Fate, her voice hissing through her teeth. "Soran had an alibi at every kidnapping, and no motive!"

"Or did he?" Hayate bit her thumb hard enough for it to bleed.

"Hayate-chan!" Nanoha snarled at her.

"Think about it, Nanoha-chan! All we ever heard was a first-person account from Soran as to what happened!" Nanoha's eyes shot wide open. "We never saw him except for when we got there, when this so-called kidnapper had already left with his teammates!"

"But what about the Clown Warrior's head?!"

"Mustang Magitech has been undergoing a secret project to recreate them. As if they wouldn't have some of the old ones in stock." Fate pulled up the evidence. "Plus the way that Fried uncharacteristically attacked him made it look like he knew what Soran did to Caro."

Nanoha shook her head slowly, pushing deep into the back of the chair. "Soran-kun… Then what about the motive?"

"Revenge." Shamal said. "The drive from such pure hate can push people to madness. Our military killed his family, and now he wants to get even."

"Soran-kun… SORAN-KUN!" Nanoha slammed her forehead into the desk and began to bawl.

Fate wanted to go to her side desperately, but the meeting was still going on. "One thing is bothering Rein ~desu." The little woman raised her hand. "Why Section 6? And why kidnap Caro-chan and Erio-kun instead of killing them?"

"I haven't worked that out yet. Maybe it's out of convenience that he's attacking us, since he got into our ranks. Maybe he's trying to flush someone out. I'm not really sure."

"I knew we should have killed him when we had the chance. Damn it." Vita gripped her part of the desk until it creaked in strain.

"Another thing that worries me are the Casters themselves. So far we've seen Soran use types 0, 1, 3, 6, and 8. He's had access to both the Slipstream Asteroid, and the one that Mustang Magitech holds claim to." Nanoha raised her head as she realized what Fate was saying. "We have no way of knowing what shells he has now, and there are still five that we haven't seen. Plus if he's obtained shells 2, 7, and 9, he could quite possibly destroy us all."

Everyone muttered to themselves before Hayate managed to collect her thoughts. "Well now that Soran's gone AWOL, what do you suggest we do to prepare, Fate-chan?"

"For now, I think we should keep Subaru under lock and key. She's his weak point. There's no doubt in my mind that he genuinely loves her." Fate sighed. "That makes it difficult for us though. She was supposed to sit Vivio this week."

"I'll take that up." Vita raised her hand. "I'm a really loose cannon right now. If I get too involved in this, I'm sure to explode."

"I feel the need to accompany her as well." Zaphila raised his furry head.

"Thank you." Fate bowed. "The other thing we should do is keep a round-the-clock watch on Teana Lanster. I have reason to believe that she's already been in contact with Soran." The murmur started again. "If I'm right, she might be the next target for kidnapping. This will be the opportunity to close in on and snag him before he gets away."

"What if Teana isn't his target though?" Shamal raised her hand. "Soran's cover is blown, he's gotten desperate. What if it's Subaru he wants?"

Hayate bit her lip. "Then we set two traps."

Teana stood there in full barrier jacket, Cross Mirage in her holster in card form as to not scare the civilians. She surveyed the address that Soran had sent to her. There were plenty of bystanders going in and out of the mall in front of her. She entered warily, but well trained enough not to arouse suspicions. "This is good." Fate watched from a terminal monitor. "There's too many civilians to get hurt and become witnesses. Soran won't try anything here."

"But that will make it hard for us if we try to take him into custody." Nanoha clicked her teeth. "He really thought this one out."

'Go to the second floor food court bathroom.' Tea reminded herself of the message as she went up the escalator. 'My exact location is hidden behind the third bathroom mirror. Come alone, and I'll tell you what you want to know. -Soran'

She found the bathroom and entered, quickly heading to the third mirror and pulling a celluloid tab sticking out of it. It was a negative of a photograph from a last generation camera. "Damn it." Fate whispered. "No cameras in the bathrooms."

"I'll activate Cross Mirage's tracking beacon." The 3D Blueprints came up and marked her as a dot in the bathroom.

"He's at the watch repair shop." Tea said out loud, instantly regretting it, knowing that her tails probably heard it too. They had. She opened the bathroom door and headed out.

The security cameras got replaced with electronic snow. "Damn it, what happened? Get it back!" Nanoha tried pressing buttons.

"I can't. I've got no connection. Soran must've cut them!"

"No! I'm going in!" Nanoha turned to the door.

"No, wait!" Fate grabbed her quickly. "They're still in a heavily populated area, and we still have the beacon and audio tap. We can do without the cameras for now."

Tea rounded the corner, past unconcerned, uninvolved individuals just being themselves. Then she saw him. He was sitting on a bench directly in front of the repair shop, his head down, his eyes covered by an uncharacteristic hat. She stood there for what seemed like forever, the space between them filled with all the worries and fears that had been racing through her head since she heard what Ginga had said. She waded through them, ever so slowly willing herself towards him, the knot in her stomach growing so heavy it felt like she was pregnant herself. Then she found herself next to him, and she sat down.

The sound stopped. All the chatter in the mall went away as she sat there, waiting, begging for him to say something. "I wanted to keep Subaru out of it. She had nothing to do with it, Tea."

"I figured as much. You really love her, don't you?"

Soran just sat there, clenching and unclenching his fist. "I never wanted Gin-nee to get hurt either. What she went through… was never supposed to happen."

"So you were at fault for that…. What were you trying to gain out of killing Scaglietti, Soran?"

"I wanted to find a way to get you to investigate it on your own."

"Why would you… wait, 400 people had to die for that? Soran, you're out of control!"

"Probably." Soran stood up and turned away, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Tell Ginga that I am sorry, and that she has every right to despise me."

"Soran wait!" She stepped between two trash cans as she reached out to him. "Are you the one responsible for kidnapping Caro and Erio?"

He turned to look over his shoulder. "Come with me. I will release them into your custody."

As he turned back around, she didn't move. "I was next on your list to capture, wasn't I?"

"No. Come on, Caro could use Shamal right now."

Tea's brow lowered. "Soran, I'm glad I don't like you." Cross Mirage expanded into a single handgun and she whipped it out, firing a bright blue bullet. "Because I don't have any regrets shooting you either way." It hit his left arm and exploded into bright blue mirror particles, spreading from the impact zone and revealing some thick black armor with a blue ID orb at the shoulder. "I knew it. Drop the charade already, we're both illusionists."

"That stung you know." Soran turned around, and the disguise dropped, revealing the dark Soran, completely covered head to toe with black armor. She couldn't even see his eyes through the menacing black helmet, mask, and visor.

The other people in the mall hadn't run away when Tea pulled the gun on him. They hadn't even noticed. Now Tea understood why as they all began to disappear one by one. "It was all a hologram? But… how did…."

"Come now, you are a smart girl. You can figure this out." He mocked, crossing his arms.

"You warped me here somehow, into a set modeled like the mall. Of course, you used a type 0 to rig the bathroom to warp me here!"

"WHAT?!" Nanoha gasped, bursting out the door and using her ACS to explode into the mall and land in their exact location. "Gone? Fate-chan, they're not here!"

"How's that possible? I've gotten a signal ever since we turned it on! It's reading right next to you!"

She kicked over a trash can and rifled through the contents. In it was a green ball that flapped its ears at her. "Haro. Haro."

"Kgh!" She crushed it in her grip. "It was a remote decoy!"

"I'll try to reaquire." Fate expanded the search area to city wide. "SHIT!"

"What is it?" Nanoha said as she returned, looking over her shoulder. There were red blips from 100 different places around the city.

"So in the end I really was your target after all. Trying to separate us, one on one, just to make absolutely sure you'd win." Tea crouched as her second gun appeared in her other hand. "I think you'll find I'm tougher than the others. I'm not going to lose to an asshole like you, Soran."

"Ksht." Cross Mirage glowed nearest to her ear. "Tea, it's Fate. We've been following you with your tracking device, but he's put up decoys throughout the city. Nanoha is disabling them one by one, but it will take some time. Hold him off till we get there. Fate out."

"Kgh." Tea snarled as she eyed the black armor.

"By now you have figured out that your tail is rather busy, and that you are to play cat and mouse with me while they track us down. Too bad it will be over before it begins." He unfolded his arms and pointed his clawed right hand towards her. "Now, come and see your friends." Soran tweaked his index finger. The trash cans exploded and two Struggle Bind spells whipped out from where they once were.

"Engh." Tea's left hand was snared. She brought her right pistol down and shot the bind off before her right arm got caught. Mirage quickly went to level two and she sliced it off.

"_Crossfire Shot._"

Ten magical orbs appeared around Tea, and she unloaded her cartridges at them. Soran's left wrist cocked a shot and punched forward. The air rippled around it and warped as it hurtled towards the energy bullets. They ricocheted off the air lens and its nearly unstoppable force intersected the girl. "KYAH!" She was sent flying back. Her pigtailed mop lifted up and she fired a round in reverse to slow her down, and then turned them towards the enemy and unleashed hell.

Soran crouched, the verniers in his boots powering up before leaping high above her barrage. "Nice try, but I am a little bit faster than…" Two orange bursts of light curved in on him from the sides, slamming him in the shoulders at the same time.

He fell to the ground in a heap as Tea skidded back on her heels. "Bullet Type F. I've mastered seamless loading of it, Soran. Even if you dodge my shots, they won't all miss."

He rose up like a zombie, not even using his arms for leverage as he stood up. He tilted his head back and forth in his helm. "You are if anything persistent, Tea."

"I'm also better than you." She quickly reloaded. "And I'm surprised you're this stupid. Your cover is blown, your plan out in the open. What do you even hope to gain by capturing me at this point?"

Soran's revolver locked another shot. "If I told you that… ENGH!" He punched the floor hard and it buckled under him. He disappeared from Tea's view. "Then it would not be any fun."

"Tch." She changed tactics, going defensive as she prepped for his next attack from below. "They won't stop you know. Nanoha and Fate will hunt you to the ends of the universe for what you've done, even if you manage to escape me."

"Who is to say that is not what I am counting on?" A giant chunk of ice burst through the floor near her. She rolled and somersaulted away, but not before some shrapnel caught her cheek. "That is my new Chill Pulse modification. Like it?"

"Not particularly." She went down to one knee, closing her eyes.

"Pity. Then I guess I will have to move on to my next invention. Storm Pulse!"

Tea's floor was electrified. "NnnGAAAAAAAHHHH!" She screeched, her eyes still tightly shut.

"And it ends." Her paralysis held her in place as an ice chunk exploded through the floor she was under, sending her flying to the rafters.

Before she hit the roof she opened her eyes, and she disappeared. The real Tea hooked her legs around a rebar beam sticking out of the original hole and went upsidedown. She slammed the muzzle of her pistol into the butt of the other. "_Agni Burst._" A large red blast hurtled towards the armored teen, consuming him and sending him flying into the back wall.

Tea dropped down to the lower level, wiping off a trickle of blood from her cheek. "So I was right. You're after the commanders. You've just been kidnapping the forwards so they won't get in your way."

"Do you really think it is as simple as that?"

"Oh come on! What does it take to put you down?!" She fired two shots in succession into the smoke.

"ENGH!" A large hunk of tile hurtled towards her through the smoke.

Cross Mirage spread its level two blade and cocked three cartridges, extending it into a full blown sword. Lifting her arm up quickly, she sliced the rock in half. As the pieces flew past her a ball of energy was on a direct course with her forehead. "EH?!" It exploded into a burst of pure white light. "Agh!" She covered her eyes tightly as Soran came up to her and gave her a hard ACS Strike Fist to her rib, sending her flying into a pillar, which she clipped before skidding along the floor.

"A student learns from the teacher, just like a program is written by a user."

Tea groaned, forcing herself to roll onto her stomach. "You…'re learning from us…." She got up slowly, stumbling as her senses recovered from the pain of her broken rib. "By… fighting us at our strongest, you're learning… how to beat the commanders."

"I told you you were a smart girl." He took a few steps towards her.

Tea cradled her broken rib as she backed up into the wall. "But why kidnap Erio and Caro? You beat them, so what's the point of keeping them alive?!" She cringed as he got closer, unable to lift her weapon.

"There is only one person I am after. You are merely the tools in which to get her. Though I may be done with you does not mean others will not need you."

Fate smiled a bit. "He still values life. Erio and Caro are still safe. Soran, I see a side of you that wasn't a lie."

He gripped her by her jacket collar. "Teana, it is time to sleep."

Teana looked at him in fear as his right hand came closer to her face, until she quickly looked in the other direction. Cross Mirage was pressed against his temple. "I agree." She pulled the trigger and he fell to the side. Her double disappeared as she pressed her hand to her heart. "Subaru, I hope you'll forgive me someday." The verniers on Soran's boots lit up and his leg slammed into her knee, sending her to the floor. "Guah! That didn't kill you?!"

His legs' momentum swung him up to standing position, his back towards her. His arms were slumped and he was staring at the floor, before he slowly began to raise his head.

"Then how about this?!" She rushed him and slammed her blade into the base of his spine. He slumped again, and then started to raise his head. "Kgh!"

"_Agni Burst._" At point blank range, her strong attack went off.

Soran slumped again, but then he began raising his head for the third time. "Impossi…." She never finished her statement as Soran's left fist plowed into her chest, sending her flying. The reverse-jointed arm reverted to its original direction and Soran continued to raise his head until he cocked it to the left and right. The hole in the armor sealed up.

"For the record, that does hurt quite a lot." He turned around, to see ten aghast Teas.

"This is impossible. I killed you three times. How can you be standing here right now?!" He took a step forward without answering. "You're not human. You can't be. What are you?"

Fate began to tremble from what she was hearing. "Fate-chan…. Fate-chan!" Nanoha's voice brought her out of her stun.

"G-go ahead."

"I've taken out 25 decoys, but it's taking too long! We need to find a way to narrow them down. Can you look for buildings that are close to or bigger than the mall?"

"Unh." Fate turned to her monitor and typed like mad. "I'm sending them to Raising Heart now. Nanoha-chan, you have to hurry. Tea isn't going to last much longer."

"Tea-chan…. Raising Heart, output 250 percent!"

"_Okay, my master._"

Soran's revolver clicked three times, and the hilt of his energy sword popped out. Grabbing it in the claws of his right hand, the beam spread and he dove forward, coasting on his boots' thrusters, sliding back and forth, cutting each separate Teana in half before they disappeared. In the end, there was only one left. He silently put the sword away as he turned towards her. "Fighting you was a disappointment. I did not even have to use a Caster. There was very little I learned." He raised his right arm to neck level and cocked a cartridge with his left. "This is where it ends." An ACS burst sent him forward, immediately clenching her neck in his clawed fingers before sending a heavy blow to her midsection. That Tea disappeared as well. "WHAT?!"

"Cross Mirage Level Three…." She stood up next to him, the magic cloak she was under disintegrating. Teana shoved the muzzle of her rifle into his neck, surrounded by a purple targeting ring. "Phantom… BLAZER!" The blast consumed his head and neck, disintegrating the armor and everything with it. He went down, crashing backwards with a clatter and scrape of his armor, smoldering. She went to her knees, panting heavily, tears in her eyes. "Subaru… I'm sorry… I'm so sorr-GK!" Soran's hand snared her neck tightly. The armor rose up and lifted her into the air. She struggled against his grip, kicking him and trying to wrench away his fingers before she saw that he didn't have a head. "E-empty."

"Now you know why you did not win." The blue crystal on his shoulder blinked.

"You're… not Soran…. You're… a…" She got a look at the crystal. "A sentient ID...." The world started to go black. "Nanoha… san…."

Cross Mirage clattered to the floor. "Tea! TEA!" Fate yelled into her headset. "TEANA LANSTER, RESPOND!"

"She cannot hear you right now, Fate T. Harlown." Then the line went into static.

"TEA!" Fate's composure broke, and she began sobbing into her console.

"Divine BUSTER!" Nanoha drilled a hole through the roof, and within a half second she was in the battle zone. She went to her knees in shock as soon as she saw Cross Mirage on the stone. "No… I'm too late…. Tea-chan…." A tear streamed down her cheek as she heard Fate's sobbing over the radio.

Then suddenly Cross Mirage started broadcasting again. "Nanoha-san. Oh, Nanoha-san."

The woman's eyes shot open. "Soran… Soran!"

"Guess where I am, Nanoha-san." She could almost hear the smirk on his face.

"Ah… mah…." Fate's crying stopped immediately as she heard the voice, she stood up, blowing her chair back so hard it made a dent in the van. "Mama… save us… Mama."

"Vivio…." Fate gulped. "No! Not Vivio too!"

Nanoha's body went down. "Mama… Vita-nee… Sig-nee… Zaphi… Shami… they…."

Her shoulders trembled, her fingers clenching tightly into fists. And with a huge burst of strength, she reared. "SOOOOORRRRAAAAAAAAAAAN!"


	21. Chapter 21

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 21

Vivio foamed at the mouth, her brush swishing across her teeth as she hummed happily. "Gualalalalagh. Pfft." She gargled and spat.

"Vivio, make sure to floss!" Vita's gruff voice called up the stairs.

"Uuuu…" Vivio pouted. "But Vivio hates flossing!"

"Don't make me come up there!"

"Hai…." She grunted discontentedly as a pair of blue boots with artemis wings floated over the house.

As she heard the girl finish up and pad off to bed, Vita turned on the viewscreen in the den, studying the guide carefully as it cycled through the 2000-plus channels Fate and Nanoha received. A slight bit of dust jumped in the fireplace, as if something had landed in the soot. "Hmm?" She got up quickly, extending Graf Eisen. Carefully she opened the hearth, studying the ash carefully. Not seeing anything, she stuck her head in and turned her face up. FLUP. She was hit by a wad of gray and black dust. Vita coughed hard as she pulled away from the hearth. "Eisen, analyze."

"_Creosote._" It said quickly as she went into the kitchen to wash off the gunk in the sink.

"It must be the autosweeper then." She coughed again. "I didn't think Nanoha even used her fireplace though."

From the pile of ash rose a glowing ball of light that scanned the area before moving on to the next. Vita rounded the corner again as it flew into the foyer. Not noticing, she sat down again, Eisen returning to its shrunken form. Upstairs, Vivio opened the door to her bedroom, finding a figure sitting on the windowsill, staring at the moon. The girl just stood there, watching him for a while. Then a little glowing light hovered past her and landed in the boy's open hand. He snuffed it out in his fist and his visor flashed across his eyes for a second before disappearing. "Sora-nii? Why are you in Vivio's room?" She rubbed her eyes as she walked up to him.

Soran smiled, turning and hopping off the sill. "I'm here to give you a gift, Vivio." He knelt down next to her. "You've been a really good girl lately, right?" She nodded. "Well then, what do you say we get you a new teddybear?"

"REALLY?!" She squeaked as she became fully awake.

Soran clamped his hand hard over her mouth. "Shh! The thing is it's past your bedtime, and Vita-nee might not like you going out this late."

"So… no bear for Vivio?" She looked forlorn.

Soran pouted. "Do you really want it that badly?"

"Unh!"

He winced, her response being louder than he would have liked. "Then let's go. We'll have to hurry, so Vita-nee doesn't notice you're gone." He grabbed her sweater off of the bedpost and handed it to her. "We'll make sure that when Nanoha and Fate come home tomorrow, you'll have the bestest bear ever to show them." When she was bundled up, he turned to the window and knelt down. "Hop on."

"Um… Sora-nii." He looked up to see the girl floating outside of the window. "Vivio knows how to fly."

"Oh… well… fantastic then." He hopped out the window and motioned for her to follow. His visor washed across his face and took readings as they reached the forest, a short drive away from her house. At that point, he put it in park and turned around. "You know what? I think I forgot something back there. Vivio, you stay here in the trees, and I'll be right back."

Vita clicked through the channels quickly, extremely bored. "News…, B-movie…, chick flick…, cooking…, sports highlights…, terran poker…, is there nothing on?" Then she switched to a channel which was re-airing Gundam 00 episode 1, right where a missile barrage took off an AnF's arm. "Technology blowing up. Perfect!"

The main character rushed forward, hiding behind what was left of some wreckage. 'There is no god in this world.' He thought in response to the Jihadists in the mobile suits' propaganda. Suddenly, the AnF that lost its arm cornered him and brought its machine cannon to bear. Then the head was pierced by a beam weapon from directly above, and the viewscreen itself was pierced by the same, a hole burned in the floor a foot in front of her.

Vita jumped up and extended Eisen, looking up to where the attack came from. From the hole in the roof, she saw him, staring back at her, his weapon smoldering at his side. "Kgh! SORAN!" She took a leap and her red armor coalesced on her on the way. She swung upwards, missing him by inches as he rose higher. "You traitor. I'll make you pay for what you did to everyone! Feel the wrath of Graf Eisen!"

The ID glistened in the night. "_Tödliche Strafe._"

"Take my Divine Punishment!" With a burst of speed she rose higher, hurling the hammerhead at his midsection. Soran tried to block with his mechanical arm. She smirked, knowing that not even the metal skeletal structure could survive a direct hit from Eisen. "Uah?!" She gasped when it did, hardly noticing his other palm pressed flat against it, summoning a Round Shield in such a way that it was invisible other than a thin pink line. His block disappeared from her vision when they were filled with Soran's heels. "Kouh!" She was knocked backwards, her lip bloody.

"My turn!" He pointed his shooting staff straight down, putting Vita between the house and himself.

"_Arc Shooter._" Four balls of energy began to orbit the staff's head.

"I suggest you block this, budaichou!" He let loose his payload.

"Kgh! Don't give me battle advice, you pathetic worm!" She pressed her hand against Eisen's head.

"_Panzer Schild._" Eisen spread a dark red magical triangle to defend against the attack.

The energy landed dead center in the middle of the shield. "Krgh." She fought against the force as the other three passed her, heading towards the house like meteors. "What? No!" The magical mortars slammed into the roof, plowing through it. The power released, blowing out all the windows and doors, sending a pink-haired woman flying out of the second story wall and onto the lawn. "Signum!" Out of the smoke billowing through the front door, Zaphila stumbled forward, carrying an unconscious Akito in his jaw before falling to the side. "Kgh!"

"Did you really think I wouldn't see through that trap?" Soran mocked. "There's no way you'd have been left alone to face me."

"I should have killed you from the very start." She hissed as she raised Eisen above her head. "I'll rectify that right now!"

"_Meister, gefahr!_" Eisen had seen something she hadn't. "_Pherd._" Vita's boots were surrounded by a whirlwind that sent them to the mortally wounded house below.

"Ah! The roof's about to… Vivio!" She kicked the door to her room hard. "Vivio! Vivio, open up! Hurry!" When she didn't answer, she grunted. "Vivio, get away from the door!" She swung hard, splintering the obstacle. She did it twice more, giving her enough room to climb through. The ceiling gave an ominous creak. "Vivio! Vivio where are you?!" She searched frantically as everything began shaking. "Come on, we've gotta go! Aaahhh!" Everything started to cave in on her.

"Should I mention that she's not in there?" Soran scratched his cheek.

The wreckage shifted and shifted again, a red and gold hexagonical structure expanding and pushing it all away. Underneath it was Vita, panting heavily. "What did you do to her?!" She raised her face to the light of the full moon, her pupils dilated so much that they were nearly invisible. "Where is she?!"

Soran smirked. "Who's to say?"

Her entire body was surrounded by ominous red energy. "I'LL KILL YOU!" She was instantly above him, her speed move drastically increased with her rage. Her giant mallet slammed into him before he could react.

"_Active Guard._" Soran's jacket covered itself in a glowing grid before he slammed into the dirt. After plowing through the earth for a couple of seconds, he flipped over, shoving Kiryu into the ground to slow himself to a stop.

"Graf Eisen, cartridge load!"

"_Explosion._"

Soran looked up to the source. "Aw crap." The burning red knight was holding a Gigantform Eisen with one hand, and a massive silver ball with the other.

"_Komete Fliegen._" Eisen spoke as Vita tossed the ball in the air, it instantly coating with the same burning energy.

"NOW YOU DIE!" Vita's rage boiled as her hammer impacted the flaming orb.

"_Stonesser Form!_" Kiryu and Garyu said simultaneously.

"ROUND SHIELD TRIPLE!" Soran's protection consolidated around the drill bit, and the two of them clashed. "RNGH… GAH!" The giant orb's momentum was enormous.

Vita flashed above him and swung the mallet again. "DIE!" Soran's shield shattered. "DIE! DIE! DIE!" With each word she slammed the silver gem harder, until the flaming energy dissipated. Eisen went to her side and shrank back to its normal size, ejecting two cartridges as she panted. "You lost." CRK. CRK. A crackling and straining sound emanated from the ball as a crack ran up it. "EH?!"

"Lightning…." The orb split completely in half, falling away from Soran. "BUSTER!"

The mass of yellow light consumed Vita and Eisen completely. "GUAUAUAUAUAAUAUAUAA!" She fell to the grass, twitching like mad. "Ku…so…." She turned to see Soran pick Kiryu and Garyu out of the orb's wreckage. "It… can't… end like this…."

"Titanium Yoke!" A gleaming silver whip shot from behind her.

"Unh?" Soran took a leap backwards just as the attack came, slicing apart what was left of the orb. "Kegh." Soran drew Garyu and blocked it before retreating out of range. "That's a new look for you. Festive."

Vita turned towards the source, slowly looking up to see a knight's dark purple trousers and platinum hip chain as his silver and flame-etched tail swished behind him. His vest matched his pants, and his fur and ears had turned a shade of light red, and his eyes gleamed a bright orange. "Za…phila…." Her eyes went wide seeing the translucent wings on his back. "Aki…to…." She forced herself to sit up.

"Rest for now, Vita. You still have a job to do, so conserve your energy." He stepped past her.

"We'll take him from here." Akito winked at her from inside him.

Zaphila's white magical triangle appeared in front of his left hand. "Titanium Yoke, weapon mode!" They both cried and the bright band of light formed up into a coiled whip in his hand.

"Well, Akito, I must admit you do live up to your function." Soran and Zaphila circled each other slowly. "Although I didn't think you two could Unison."

"We just hadn't had a reason to try." Akito sneered. "I can't believe I was inside you for any amount of time. Eugh."

"Enough with the chitchat." Zaphila grunted. "I want to see if you were actually paying attention during our sparring matches!" He unfurled the whip and snapped it forward.

"Hup!" Soran backflipped onto the cracked side of the half-orb. The glowing rope bit into the metal and ripped it away. "That's either really sharp or really dense." He flipped behind it quickly, exchanging Kiryu and Garyu for Rainbow and Barrage Zwei. "Inferno BUSTER!" At point blank range, he sent the burning energy into the metallic lump, and it went for Zaphila quickly as it softened into a glob of molten metal. He lifted the whip up and brought it back down again in one swift motion, the end connecting with the blob and drawing it into the ground. "Dense. Sharp would have cut through it but it still would have kept going straight."

"If this were training, I would be complimenting you on your deduction skills!" The platinum whip whirled for Soran again.

"Then maybe you can give me a few marks for strategic planning!" He double backflipped, gripping Barrage in the center. When he landed, he pressed his free palm against it while he held it level to the ground. Four balls of light floated up from behind the rocks, and he sent them off with a point of his staff.

Zaphila's fist glowed and he punched the ground, spreading the magic triangle under his feet. Gray spires of energy erupted from the ground, spearing the attack before it could intersect. The bullets auto destructed, sending up a cloud of smoke. The wolf's whip pierced the dust and wrapped around Soran's staff. "The Guardian Beast of Absolute Defense is not one to be defeated by parlor tricks!" He yanked back hard.

"Woah!" Soran lost his footing and was drawn into the forest of spines, only to emerge to receive Zaphila's fist in the stomach. "KoOF!" Before he could recover, Zaphila yanked the whip again, tossing him into the wrecked house.

"They are working very closely right now, Akito and Zaphila." Vita turned her head to notice Signum crawling up to her, her left leg severely broken. "That girl must be trying very hard."

"Signum… are you…." Vita stretched Eisen out to her. "Take some of my data."

She shook her head. "I'm already in repair mode, gathering data from the wreckage. Besides, you need it anyway." She sat next to her, closing her eyes, computer code swirling around her leg. "We can only hope that Zaphila will be able to last that long."

"Well with that last shot, the brat has to be hurting." A flash blinked from the house before a piece of it was vaporized by a stream of fire that consumed anything in its path. "Ah!"

Zaphila crouched down and switched to his beast form, galloping away from the danger before switching back, skidding to a halt. The flames were shut off when the mouth shut, the eyes on the weapon's face glowing brightly. Soran slowly stepped forward, amidst the flames, his visor over his eyes. He emerged from the shadow of the wreckage, his level two equipment catching the moon's light, as well as the blank anger on Soran's face.

"Tchey." Zaphila grunted. "Once more, Akito!"

"Ouh!" Their whip lashed out. Soran's left arm came to the front, and it bounced off the shiny armor. "Ueh? His armor was never that tough before!"

"But the rest of him is still squishy. Don't let up!" The whip continued to lash at him, Soran unable to close the gap between them as he dodged left and right. He fired a shot above with Barrage, but Zaphila just tilted his head out of the way or rolled as they continued their dance of combat.

"You're being a nuisance." Soran grunted as he slid behind the blown out garage door. It was instantly splintered by the Yoke before his weapons stopped glowing. "It's time you were put down." He sidestepped the next attack, grabbing the whip with his Dragon Grip. The maw glowed brightly before the section of rope exploded.

"Ah!" Vita gasped. "That's not Rainbow, that's Barrage!"

"Kgh!" Signum opened her eyes as her wound finished closing, instantly standing up.

"_Bogenform._"

"Duah!" Soran slammed his staff into the whip.

"_Glacier._"

"He swapped weapons under cover!" Zaphila dropped the whip as it began to crystallize. Soran dashed forward at nearly sonic speeds. "Unison Release!" Akito was sent tumbling out of his back as his colors returned to normal.

"Woaaa!" She righted herself just in time to see the impact as Soran's dragon fist landed in the wolfman's chest. "Zaphila!"

"Say hello to Barrage's Level Two function!" Soran lifted him off the ground as the maw glowed white hot. "Five Claws of the Revolution!" Zaphila was sent flying over the wreckage and into the pool house, completely wrecking it.

Akito and Vita were slackjawed in horror as they looked to the impact zone, before turning their hatred towards Soran. He turned towards the pixie, and she recoiled. "You're next."

"Echo, my diamond blade!"

"_Sturm Falken._" An arrow forged of pure energy whistled towards him.

He took a quick look at the attack as his staff head shone. "_Cyclone._" The arrow intersected the whirl of green air.

Soran faced Signum fully, so that the arrow would shoot straight between his eyes. "Your strongest attack right off the bat? You must be desperate, Signum-budaichou."

"Less desperate than you are cocky!" The weapon burrowed through the elemental shield.

"Umh!" Soran's mechanical arm snatched it out of the air and sent a bullet through it. "Really close that time, but still not enough." His vision was suddenly blocked by a crack spreading across his visor. The material shattered. "Egh?!"

Past the falling pieces came forward an enraged Signum, ready to cut him in half katana-style. "Your opponent is me!"

Soran quickly blocked with his dragon shield and immediately began to lose ground as the attack bounced off and she swung from a different angle. She continued to swing with all her might as they continued to clash, sword on shield, Levantine's blade sharper than ever. "Got you!" He reached for the sword with his dragon's fangs. Signum pulled her weapon away before the maw shut and thrust it forward. It pierced his jacket cape just as his fist slammed into her face.

"Gah! Toh! Ungh!" She rolled back until she managed to regain her stability. She brought her sword back to the front, noticing the inner edge was bloody.

Beyond the tip, Soran held his side, hissing. "Now all three of you have gotten one good hit in each. You're not getting another."

"_Bekämpfung Form._" His blades flashed. A pinstripe of light ran down Kiryu, splitting her in two. The handles disintegrated and reformed as they latched onto his knees and toes, spreading their beam energy between hinges.

"_High Combat Form._" Barrage said as he consumed Rainbow's key. He shortened and flattened into a rotating half shield that latched onto his left arm. Garyu extended an energy rope from himself to Barrage, and the blade's output instantly doubled.

Signum's brow lowered. "Akito." She lifted her fist up and the sprite pounded hers against it. "Unison in!" They instantly were consumed by a whirlwind of fire. The woman stepped through the flames, her colors changed and Akito's thin rainbow wings extending from her back. "Soran, it is said that when two enemies clash swords, they learn everything about each other. I have clashed with you many times and still I never detected your treachery. How do you explain this?"

"Maybe your senses aren't tuned enough?" Soran shrugged, a mocking look plastered on his face.

"Perhaps, but maybe it is because I never have truly faced you as an enemy. I am curious to hear what my Levantine has to say this time around!" She pointed at him with her sword, turning it so the moon shone against the edge. "I am Signum, Knight of the Wolkenritter, possessor of Levantine, the Diamond Blade! Soran Berkt, your treachery ends here!"

The gap between them closed quickly as they dashed towards their inevitable collision. Blade sparked against blade, each using their momentum to try to gain better ground. They both leapt back a step, preparing their next strike before taking it, countering each other as they tried to read and find openings. Barrage swiveled and he blocked her swing with his left arm before taking one of his own at her midsection. She hopped back, her back arching to keep her stomach from being clipped before slamming her blade down on his, sending it to the ground. She drew back and thrust the point forward. Soran dropped to the dirt to avoid his face getting speared and rolled out of the way as her momentum shifted downward. Her next swing was caught between his shield and sword as he raised them to block. He slid the blade up before she could react and slammed his mechanical hand into the ground as he turned, swinging his feet at her hard. Instead of attacking she was forced onto the defense, putting her weapon between the beam greaves and her vulnerable legs, lifting above the hilt as the tip dug into the ground. The greaves and sword intersected, dragging the tip out as they passed under her. She recovered and flipped the hilt in her hand as she landed, placing it in perfect position to counter Soran's blade before he could windmill it into her. They both smiled quickly before she took a leap into the air.

"_Nachladen._" Her ID said as it cocked a cartridge and it became covered in flames.

"Shiden Issen!" Levantine split into five parts connected by wire, which she swept towards him, sending four fireballs his way.

He stood up, bringing his deflection bar to the front to take the hits in succession. Signum's bladed snake followed, digging a swath into the ground as he skidded backwards. "Function change!" Garyu stopped emitting and twisted at the hilt. "KURAI!" He gripped it with both hands and swung it into the sky as it began to emit again, this time in an insanely long and thin blade of light.

Judging that they couldn't avoid it Signum blocked the attack, but the momentum from the focused contact point flung her to the rocks. Garyu stopped emitting energy again as Soran landed. Forcing herself up from the impact zone, Signum felt herself rise alone, her colors restored to normal as Akito fell from her shoulder. "Gomen… Signum."

"Nerai wa utz!" Soran's deflection bar opened on one end and sent a burst shot straight for her.

The energy burst impacted her straight in the chest before she could think. "Curse you, Soran." She whispered before she pitched forward, landing on her face.

All of his devices returned to standby, but he remained in Barrier Jacket. "Guess your sword didn't tell you anything different to avoid your current situation." He turned away to check on his other opponents.

"Not quite." She whispered as she lifted her face out of the dirt, struggling to rise. "He told me everything I needed."

"Oh?" He smirked. "And what did he say?"

She slowly looked at Vita, who nodded. "He said you talk too much!" Levantine lashed out and extended far beyond its normal range, wrapping its chain links around Soran before he could draw a weapon. "RNGH!" She leapt into the air, taking him with her. The pool house wreckage exploded as Zaphila joined them in the sky, shortly followed by Vita. Signum somersaulted in midair and used all her might to hurl him into the ground.

"GUAH!" He gasped as he took the impact, slamming deep into his own crater.

Vita dropped like a stone, twirling Eisen in her fingers before shoving the hilt into the ground an inch away from him. Eisen's neck extended as he gobbled down three cartridges. "_Das Gefängnis der Magie_." A dome of swirling red and black magic expanded from the ID until the entire crater was consumed, casting the world inside into darkness and red lighting.

Soran whipped around in panic as the dome closed up. "What the hell is this thing?!"

"This is my Magical Prison." Vita whispered from the shadows. "Where I dispose of the lowest of the low."

Outside, Zaphila landed on the dome and slammed his fist into the top. Giant gray spires exploded out of the ground and closed in on the top of the energy cell, locking up at his feet. "That will hold him long enough for sure."

"Egh!" Soran slammed his shoulder into the wall, and he was sent flying back with triple the force. "Duah!" Vita chuckled in the darkness. "I'm surprised you'd risk staying in here with me Vita." He grunted as he got up. "I could just fill this entire thing with energy and blow it out, taking you with it."

"But that kind of thing takes time, which you don't have, brat."

Soran found himself floating off the ground. "Wha? Hey… what's going… GUAAAAAHH!" A red crystal surrounded by green light erupted from his chest as his arms and legs were forced to spread wide. "What are you…."

A green and blue light expanded from his chest, a golden ring surrounding it. A female voice trembled. "And I promised myself I'd never use this technique again…."

"Sh-Shamal…." He snarled.

"Do it, Shamal! It's the only way!" Vita stepped into the light.

On the outside of the dome, the woman shivered, staring at the gem through the portal. "To take another life again…. But if it's what will stop you, Soran… then I'll be taking your Linker Core." She slowly reached into the portal.

Her hand emerged on the other end, slowly reaching for the essence of his life force. "Kgh!" Soran strained his limbs, unable to move them, his linker core unable to communicate responses to them. Soran squeezed his eyes shut tight. "This… isn't… over!" His eyes opened and his left arm began to move, grabbing her wrist in its grip.

"Eh?!" Shamal gasped as it squeezed down. Crack. "HRAAAAAHH!" She felt the bone snap, and she instantly knew which it was that he had broken.

"Shamal!" Vita gasped, grinding her teeth. "His arm has a separate power source. He's bypassed the Linker Core to control it!"

"Now… that you've got… your hand in the door,… why don't you… come… join us?!" He ripped his arm back hard, lifting Shamal off her feet and sending her through the portal before her device closed it.

When it closed, the Core returned to his body. Regaining movement, he lifted Shamal up by the broken arm and sent a heavy kick to her midsection, sending her crashing into Vita. "Engh. Dah." They bounced and toppled over each other as they rolled.

"NOW I'M ANGRY!" Soran shot forward, plowing his fist into the first soft flesh he felt.

"Rggh… GAH!" The rib broke in her chest in slow motion, feeling the separation of every cell before she was blown into the magical wall, the recoil sending her straight back.

Soran plucked her out of the air and slammed her into the ground. "You son of a bi-AGH!" Vita spoke before Soran's boot intersected her cheek.

The teen jumped back, spreading a magical triangle that glowed white hot, casting light throughout the dome. Shamal and Vita both looked up from their wounds to see Soran's enraged face surrounded by the three elemental orbs, larger than they'd ever seen before. "ELEMENTS OF DESTRUCTION, COMBINE!" His shooting staff extended into the air and merged.

"Egh." Vita pushed herself up. "Soran, don't! There's nowhere for the energy to go! You'll turn this place into a blast furnace!"

He stared at her with his pupils dialated, hatred dominating his face. "COMBINE WITH THE BREATH OF LIFE AND FORM TRUE CHAOS!"

"_Element Crusher._" The swirling green wind encapsulated the three clashing elements, focusing them and forcing them to mix in ways they weren't meant to.

"He's been blinded by rage." Shamal could only watch in horror. "This may be the end."

He lowered the staff to bear across the dome. Unexpectedly, he rushed forward. "HuuuaaaAAAAHHH!" When he crossed paths with the still-planted Eisen, he skidded to a halt and leapt up.

"Ah!" Vita gulped. "Shamal, get away from the walls!" They both rushed as fast as their wounded selves could to the center.

The orb of chaos came to within an inch of the ceiling. "BREAKEEEEEEERRRRRRR!" At point-blank range, the blast coursed down the shield, sending waves from the sides, sweeping up the two Wolkenritter on the inside. The power of the attack shook the dome, inside and out.

Outside, as Signum and Zaphila floated above, waiting for word that Soran was defeated, the spires surrounding the shell rattled. "Hmm?" Zaphila looked down as the reinforcements began to crack and buckle. "Not good. Signum, it's coming down!"

"That's impossible. As long as Vita is alive and doesn't cancel the shield…." The tip of one of the spires cracked off, sliding back to the ground before disintegrating.

The shell cracked at the top, before the entire thing burst apart into shards of magic that rained down on the wounded Wolkenritter inside. "EEEEEERRRRRR!" Soran's voice echoed as both of the Wolkenritter on the outside were caught in the blast. The energy tapered off, Zaphila and Signum falling to the ground, where the others were groaning, desperately trying to get up. "Dark Trinity weapons, full limiter release. Maximum power."

Vita grunted, flipping over. "C-caster…."

Her hawkish eye centered in on Soran, his staff in Gillium Form. "Load Shell 5."

"_Loading 5._" Barrage closed the hatch and brought the bullet to the barrel. The black wings immediately spread from the staff.

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The chant began as everyone raised their heads, his silhouette housed in the moon, the black light shining in the barrel as he continued. The wings curled upwards, encapsulating the ethereal light. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." He gripped the handle and pointed it directly down. "Gravity Well! Pagua sun FAIRE!" The encapsulated orb shot with a ripple of air, down into the crust.

Everything was quiet, the look of fear on all of the Wolkenritter. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Those faces were replaced with those of pain as they were pressed into the ground harder. A clear dome with a black, whispy outline had encapsulated them, and inside, the gravity was steadily increased until it was ten times its normal. What energy they had left to rise was sucked out of them as they strained to keep themselves from being crushed by their own weight. Vita opened an eye, getting a look at Soran as she cringed. Even through the 10 G's, she raised her hand to the sky. "Vi…vi…o…."

"I told you, she's safe. Give up and pass out already." Soran crossed his arms.

"Huu… huu…" A breath was panting at his same altitude.

"Umgh!" Soran whirled around, wide eyed, to find the girl floating there, her hand trying to dig into her chest to her heart.

"Sora-nii… did this…." She swallowed hard, tears falling from her eyes. "Mama's house… Vivio's friends… aahh." A dark blue jacket phased in and out of their dimension.

"Egh!" He put all his remaining energy into his wings. "Vivio! Don't do it! If you do, I'll have to stop you!"

"Aaahhh… aahhh…." Vivio brought her fingers to her skull, gripping it tightly, her heterochromic eyes trembling in confusion and fear. "He's not Sora-nii…."

"Vivio! Vivio, snap out of it!" He reached for her as she started to pull on her hair. "Damn it!" His hand closed into a fist.

"He's…!" The barrier jacket appeared on her just as he slammed his fist into her stomach. "Kouh!" Her eyes glassed and she lost control of her energies, the barrier jacket also disappearing. She slid off his fist and she fell. "Mr. Meanie…."

"Whoopsy." Soran caught her by the scruff of her neck, and they landed softly amongst the defeated Wolkenritter. Still holding her, he checked his watch, which was blinking with a dark blue light. He smiled and opened an audio transmission to Tea. "Nanoha-san. Oh, Nanoha-san."

Nanoha's eyes shot open. "Soran… Soran!"

"Guess where I am, Nanoha-san." She could almost hear the smirk on his face. He picked up the girl and whispered in her ear. "Hey now Vivio… Mama's listening. Say what you want to." He roused her just gently enough to keep her half asleep.

"Ah… mah…." Fate's crying stopped immediately as she heard the voice, she stood up, blowing her chair back so hard it made a dent in the van. "Mama… save us… Mama."

"Vivio…." Fate gulped. "No! Not Vivio too!"

Nanoha's body went down. "Mama… Vita-nee… Sig-nee… Zaphi… Shami… they…."

Her shoulders trembled, her fingers clenching tightly into fists. And with a huge burst of strength, she reared. "SOOOOORRRRAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

The scream roused Vita in a flash, her eyes wide and panicked as Soran switched to a video feed. "Don't worry, she'll just have a bruise later." He showed her the sleeping girl before he dropped her with a thud. "Oooh… make that two bruises."

The bridge of Nanoha's nose wrinkled tightly as she shook with rage. "I will hunt you down… I swear to you I will hunt you down and repay you for everything you've done!"

"That's funny, because that's the motto I've been living on for half my life." He leaned closer to the screen. "How does it feel?"

"Soran!" Fate landed next to her.

"Oh, you're there too, Fate-daichou?"

"Don't daichou me! What are you going to do with them?!"

"They'll be coming with me, that's all. I always wanted a… captive… audience to see the final round." He sputtered. "Captive… get it?!"

"HUUUUAAAAAHHHH!" A cry came from behind him that stunned all three, as Vita came at him in one final hurrah. "Rakketen Mi-." SPLOCH!

"VITA-CHAN!" The women both screamed.

She looked at Soran's sword, rent through her, blood dripping down the blade. The redhead turned to the video and shook her head, tears rolling down her cheek as she mouthed. "I'm sorry." She collapsed and the video was cut.


	22. Chapter 22

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 22

Fate and Nanoha burst through the doors of the command center. "HAYATE!" Nanoha screamed, stunning everyone. She lifted her barrier jacket cuff up, the red light on its cufflink blinking brightly. "What happened to our backup?!"

"Teana lost the battle, and Soran's got Vivio too!" Fate fought back her tears.

Hayate's eyes went wide. She shared a look with Rein, and they both brought up terminals. "We've been monitoring all the warning channels the entire time. Our eyes never left the boards."

"Rein has zero records of any alerts incoming our outgoing ~desu." She gasped. "Shari-san! The Type 4 program!"

Shari gulped as she ran her fingers across the board as fast as possible. "Damn it! We've been compromised!" She brought up a virtual image of the building. "There's a feedback loop from the morphing field that's being repeated to our systems at the same interval as the emergency beacons. It's resetting the fields before we ever get an alert!"

"Soran!" Fate smashed her fist into the wall. "I can't believe he planned it back that far! He made the Type 4 program that attacked him, hiding a Trojan Horse inside just for this purpose!"

"Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan, what happened out there?" Hayate met them at their level.

"There's no time to explain. We have to get Subaru and get home, now!" Nanoha dashed down the hall.

The lights flashed on in Caro's cell as the suspension field dropped and the bars slid aside. She squinted, trying to adjust to the light as a male figure walked in, holding a girl no bigger than she. He placed her down, placing a box with a cross on it by her head. He stood up and flung something at Caro. "Agh!" She cringed as she was hit, only to look down and find Kercleyon's gloves in her lap. "Eh?"

"Treat her. I've authorized the monitors to allow healing magic."

Her eyes finally adjusted, her eyes opening wide as she realized who it was. "Which one are you, Soran?"

"Both." Soran broke her gaze. "I'm sorry I made you think I was dead. But I did what was necessary. I promise I'll let you go once this is all over." He stepped back and let the bars slide back together. "I've given you everything you need for now. Hurry and treat her, or else she dies."

For the first time, Caro finally looked at the face of the one on the ground, and she choked on her own breath. "Vita-san!" The redhead was barely breathing, blood soaking both pads pressed to her front and back where she was rent through. Caro instinctively put on her gloves and went to her, forcing her healing energies into the wound. "How did she get like this?! Soran!" She looked up and he wasn't there. "Soran! I can't save her alone! She needs a professional!"

"I'll send Shamal to assist you once she wakes up." He said from down the hall.

"Soran! Soran, come back! Come back here and look at the damage you've done! Sor-!"

"SORAN!" GZAP. "Kgh!" Erio snarled as he recoiled from the suppression field. "I know you're out there, Soran! You listen to Caro and get back here! Face your sins like a man! SORAN!"

Vice's helio pushed to its limit, sacrificing comfort for speed. Nanoha and Fate couldn't care less about the bumpy ride, looking out the portals desperately. Subaru looked to Hayate, still not understanding what the emergency sortie was for, and where the others were, especially Tea. "We're clearing the forest now. Within visual… oh dear God." Vice swallowed.

"Vice. Vice, what is it?" Hayate called from the cargo bay.

"Kgh!" Nanoha slid open the hatch and leapt out.

"Nanoha-san!" Subaru gasped before following.

"_Wing Road._" Her rollerboots cast her specialized field and went after her.

Coasting together, they came to within sight of Nanoha's house. "That's not possible!" Subaru gaped. "It's… there's nothing left!"

"Mgh." The woman beside her swallowed as they landed where the front door was supposed to be. Before them was nothing but wooden splinters, shattered rock, twisted metal, and broken glass. The brunette went to the ground in a heap, Raging Heart's golden armor shattering against the pavement as she returned to necklace form. She wailed into the cement, losing control of every last shred of her composure.

Subaru knelt next to her, holding her tightly, showing her that she was there. The helicopter landed behind them, in the most open patch they could find. When Nanoha's sobbing had slowed, Subaru got up and scanned the area, aghast at the destruction. "Who could have done this?" She walked around the wreckage, confirming that not even the pool house and deck were intact. "This is beyond destruction."

Hayate left Rein to tend to the grieving women as she approached the Striker. "His name is Starwind, and he's out for revenge." She picked up a shingle from the roof and held it up. "This is how far he's willing to go." She tossed the debris back onto the pile. "He's the one responsible for everything, the Type 4 fight, Caro and Erio's disappearances, everything. Even in this very spot, he defeated all of my precious friends. Not even the combined teamwork of the entire Wolkenritter could prevent this wanton destruction. And now they're all gone, probably taken prisoner, just like all the others."

Subaru's eyes continued to widen as she was finally informed. "Vivio! What about Vivio?!"

"Taken, just like the others."

"Damn it…." Both of Subaru's fists were closed tightly shut. "Where's Tea?! Why isn't she here to see this?! This is what she wanted to know about all along!"

"She's not here because she was taken too." Fate rounded the bend, her eyes red and tired, but the tears had stopped for the time being. "By his accomplice, a sentient, fully-autonomous Intelligent Device."

Hayate whirled around, stunned by that information. "An autonomous ID?!"

She nodded. "We followed Tea to her meeting place with him. We laid a trap, he laid a better one. By the time we finally found the place, she was gone. But we do have the audio recordings. She went up against something that wouldn't die, a hollow armor with an intelligent device."

Hayate bit her lip. "Which explains how he managed to attack here simultaneously."

"Wait, time out!" Subaru rolled between them. "Why was Tea meeting with him if he's that dangerous?"

"She went there for your sake, Subaru." Nanoha rounded the corner, using Vice as a crutch. "She never told anyone about the meeting. It was sheer luck that we found out in time. She went there with the hopes of clearing everything up, so you wouldn't have to hear what I'm telling you right now." She stood up straight, nodding a thank to Vice. "You see, Subaru, you know this person, far more than we wish you did."

Nanoha threw an object in her hand at the girl, and she caught it on instinct. Opening her hand, she gasped at what was lying in her palm. "No." She looked at the golden casing with the number 5 inscribed in it. "No. You can't make me believe that!"

"Subaru, he defeated everyone. Even the combination of Vita, Zaphila, Signum, Shamal, and Akito couldn't bring him down. There's only one person who could do that." Fate turned back to the girl.

"Never! He's not that cruel! He's not a bad person!"

"Subaru, he took my baby!" Nanoha sobbed. "She begged for me to save her and I was too far away. I heard her. I saw her. And I could do nothing!"

"You don't know anything! I should know! I love him! You can't make me believe that this is him! He loved Section 6! He loved every one of you!"

"Soran was adopted by the Belt family, Subaru." Fate walked up to her as she tried to back away. "Berkt is the Persean spelling of Belt, and the adoption records show he's Persean. There was only one person on Perseus who knew how to use Casters properly other than Soran." She wrapped her arms around the girl and whispered into her ear. "His name is Starwind." Subaru's eye color changed to yellow. "I'm sorry, Subaru. His real name is Soran Starwind."

She didn't respond. She just stood there, her eyes wide. "Subaru?" Nanoha was the first who noticed something was off. "Hayate…."

The short-haired brunette took a closer look and gasped. "Fate, put her down, quickly! Rein, analyze her!"

The little sprite flew above the girl as Fate gently put her on the ground. Behind the golden color of her eyes was a pulsing red light. Doing a quick scan, she gulped. "Stretcher ~desu! She's in emergency shutdown ~desu!"

Soran sat in an interface chair and leaned his cheek on his good hand as he drummed the armrest with his left. He watched the monitors of all his captives carefully. "Well, now I know what it feels like to be a prison guard."

"_Your human ability to find humor in such a situation does not cease to amaze me._" The ID glowed from its maintenance chamber behind him, now only an arm.

"It's all I've got, Jor. If I didn't joke around, I'd probably puke from the guilt."

"_Guilt. Another flawed human emotion I cannot comprehend._"

"Jor, I may have made you sentient, but you still have a ways to go before you understand humans." He stood up and pointed at the screen. "Every last one of those people there had at one point or another considered me a friend. And every last one of them is in there because of me. Guilt is the feeling that you've done something you shouldn't have."

"_Even if the ends justify the means?_"

"That isn't even a factor. It happens regardless."

"_Flawed._"

"Human."

"_Sometimes I believe that those words are synonymous._"

"Jor…."

"_Master._"

"Quit pissing me off." He grumbled as he sat down again.

"_Acknowledged._"

Soran sighed again as he began cycling through the cameras. "Caro lu Rushe: Legs injured, but recoverable with therapy. Currently repairing Vita. Vita: Extreme injury. Probability of survival without treatment is zero. Another half inch to the right and I would have hit her heart."

"_And this would have been a bad thing why?_" Soran whirled around and glared at the armor. "_Shutting up._"

He turned back around. "We can only hope that Shamal wakes up soon, so she can help Caro. She's got enough field medical knowledge to act as a meatball surgeon." The device started whistling the M.A.S.H. theme. "Haha. Now you're getting the humor thing, Jor." He swiped his hand and changed the camera. Erio Mondial: Injured his arm by absorbing too much electricity, he's basically healed at this point though."

"_His actions are erratic. He damaged himself again by attempting to reach through the suppression field._"

"Let him do what he wants for now. If he gets too out of hand, we have other measures to control him." He flipped the camera again. "Teana Lanster: broken rib, bruised back, and shattered pride, all can heal with time. She's still unconscious. I must say, Jor, that was a very successful solo mission. I was worried you'd take it too far."

"_Your specific parameters for the mission enabled that. Thank you for the compliment. In addition, I rectified a flaw in my recovery system that left me vulnerable during the battle._"

"Good to know." He sighed as he stared at the Wolkenritter cameras. "Akito: She got caught in the Gravity Well. Most of her bones are broken."

"_An unavoidable casualty. Her frame was not meant to withstand that many G forces. Some time in a maintenance chamber will repair her, as she is not human._"

"Right. Zaphila and Signum: They both took a direct blow from my Element Crusher. Who knows how long they'll be out of the game."

"_Much sooner than expected. Both have signs of very rapid healing abilities._"

The video switched to Shamal. "Shamal-sensei… when are you going to get up?" As he said this, her head twitched a half inch. "Hmm? Jor, get me readings on Cell Eight."

"_Scans show normal sleep cycle._"

Soran smiled. "You little sneak. You're awake while still keeping your bodily and brain functions down."

"_Should I go down and extract her?_"

"No, I'll do it myself in a bit. There's just one more I need to check up on." He flipped he camera one last time. On the screen was the little girl, lying unconscious on the bed, a tear in her eye, and a large stuffed bear sitting next to her for when she woke up. "Are the AMF suppression fields in place?"

"_Triple layered. The ancient Belkan DNA will not be able to activate._" Soran nodded in satisfaction. "_Why is that purposeless item in there with her?"_

"Because I promised, Jor." Soran stood up and turned to the door. "I promised I'd get her a new bear, and that's exactly what I did." The door closed behind him.

"_Such sentiments are a weakness._"

Subaru lay on the exam table, stiff as a board, her eyes still wide open, the pulsing red light just behind her retina. Shari and Rein dashed around, taking readings and accessing terminals floating above her as the scanner passed back and forth above. Hayate gripped her elbows and shivered as she watched from the observation window. "Soran's managed to claim another victim without even trying."

"I doubt even he could have foreseen this outcome." Fate pressed her forehead against the glass. "Her love for him grew so deep that he became nearly vital to her systems. Soran, you've broken one heart too many."

"I really wish Shamal was here right now." Nanoha didn't have energy left to stand after everything she had to deal with. "She might have been able to bring her out of it. Now the only person left with that experience on the base is Scaglietti, and I'd rather die than let him within twenty feet of her."

"It's too much of a security risk anyway. We're beyond shorthanded as it is." Hayate sighed before balling her fist. "Nanoha-chan. Fate-chan. Go to your quarters and get some rest. In four hours, meet me in the hangar. We're going to finish this."

The oldest member of the Wolkenritter, at least in appearance, laid on the floor of her cell as the suppression field dropped and the bars slid open. "On your feet, Shamal-sensei." Soran walked in. "Let's go, Vita needs your help." She was unresponsive. "Come on, we both know you're not asleep." He nudged her with his toe.

Instantly, her eyes shot open and she grabbed a hold of his leg with one arm. The other reached down and broke off the heel of her shoe, extending a knife and stabbing it into his Achilles Tendon. As he went down she got on top of him and wrenched his neck, breaking it. "Hah… hah…." She panted hard. "That was for Vivio." Soran's elbow jerked back, slamming into her broken rib. "GUH!" She rolled over, nursing the bone as she groaned in pain.

She heard applause coming from the cell door. "Well done, Shamal. Well done." Soran ripped the knife out of his heel and stood up, using his free arm to snap it back into place. "I guess you have some of that Wolkenritter ruthlessness from the old days still in you." Soran walked up and leaned on his twin's shoulder, both smiling. "Take five dude." The first Soran shimmered away, revealing the blank stare of an android.

"A Clown Warrior…." Her head fell back and she laughed through the pain. "I should have known you weren't that careless."

He picked her up by the arm and tied it behind her. "Your little escape attempt might have cost Vita's life, Shamal. Now let's go, she needs your attention more than I do."

Nanoha and Fate had separate rooms on base, barracks regulations. Neither of them argued with them, especially considering how nice the accommodations were, but both longed to be in the comfort of each others' arms at this exact moment. In the end, Nanoha found it impossible to sleep. She got up and crouched against the wall, one leg out, the other with her arm propped up on, Raising Heart's necklace dangling between her fingertips. She stared at the red orb in serious reflection until her eyelids could no longer stay open.

"_Urusanai." The boy with the pitch black staff snarled as he limped out of his alcove. "Jormungand!" He reappeared above her. "I'll avenge them." He lifted his weapon over his head. "I'll take my revenge for my parents right here and now!"_

"_I… killed this boy's… parents…."_

"_Load Caster, shell two."_

"_Stand down! You've been killing civilians!"_

"_Load Caster, shell seven."_

"_Either you die, I die, or we both die! Either way, this last attack will decide it!"_

_Nanoha's staff crashed to the floor. Tears began to run from her cheeks in a flow that could not be stopped. "I… I murdered… IIIIIYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_

"_I'm using the last one, Dad. Jormungand, load caster, shell nine."_

"_Get out of there, NOW!"_

"_There… was a boy…." She panted, wiping her mouth off with the smaller towel. "He was… so driven by revenge that…"_

_She looked up at the ball of smoke that reached up into the stratosphere. "No…." A tear ran down her cheek. "My mistake… my mistake…. WHY WOULDN'T YOU LET ME SAVE YOU?!"_

"_I couldn't save him. I couldn't save anyone!"_

_A bright light shone on the teenage girl as she stood at the podium. "Takamachi Nanoha, in regards to your abandonment of your duties, and your subsequent return, you are allowed one statement before the court makes their decision."_

_She lowered her head, staying silent for a while, pursing her lips before raising her head. "I was involved in what I would regard one of the largest military blunders in history, and I had done things I can never forgive myself for, even though they were under orders. I admit now that going AWOL was not the best solution for dealing with the issue, but at the time, it seemed to be the only one. That is why I returned, willingly, to face this court today. Though I may have been exempt for any wrongdoing in Operation Bushfire, ruled by this court, that does not take away the guilt I feel and the pain I caused. I know now that I must face this sin, and I will give everything I have, even if it costs my body and soul, to rectify that mistake. And I can't do that properly unless I continue to be a part of TSAB's armed forces. I realize that this is only the selfish request of a foolish little girl, but please let me stay."_

"_You do realize that your wish might never be fulfilled, correct? Those that perished can never return."_

"_I do." The light went out._

Nanoha opened her eyes. Raging Heart was flashing, numbers in fancy text scrolling across her. Time was up.

The three commanders and the diminutive XO stepped or floated forward into the hangar, their battle gear at the ready. "Gillium, hull lighting please." Hayate called out, and the Star's spotlights lit up around the ship. They took the elevator up to the hatch access platform. Hayate reached for the door and tugged on the handle. It wouldn't budge. "Gillium, grant access."

Beyond the airlock window, Gillium's head unit bobbed up and down. "_The captain is not in your party. I'm afraid I can't do that._"

"Gillium, I am ordering you to grant access. This is a direct order from your captain's superior, Yagami Hayate."

"_No such override exists in my system._"

"You can't even grant access to Rein ~desu?"

"_Not even to the diminutive interface without the captain's clearance._"

"~Desu…." She pouted.

Nanoha scratched her forehead. "Okay, then let's try this. Gillium, what override protocols are there other than the captain's command that will grant us access?"

"_Only password entry._"

"If it's a password you want, then that's an easy one." Fate said. "Soran Starwind."

The lights shut off around the ship. "_Work-work-working. Activating hid-hid-hidden Easter Egg-egg-egg._" The lights reactivated. "_How strange. It appears as though a tertiary protocol has been activated with that keyword. Its instructions are very specific, however. I will now play you an included audio file._"

"Yo. It's me." Soran's voice echoed through the hangar. "By now you've figured out basically everything, or else you wouldn't be here, listening to this message. You want to know where I am and how to get there. I've programmed an autopilot program into Gillium that will take you there. No tricks, no traps. If you want to go, just say my name in the cockpit. But there is a catch. Only two people can go. Gillium's sensors will detect if there's more than two people on board, and the program won't activate if there are."

"Only two people?" Hayate bit her thumb. "That means two of us will have to stay behind."

"I'm sure you're also wondering about how everyone's doing. Don't worry, I've been taking good care of them. I don't want to involve them any more than I already have. If you come, I'll release them to you regardless of the outcome. See you there."

"_End of message._" The airlock opened. "_Two may enter._"

"That explains the two-seat flight." Rein said. "The crew and passenger compliment is topped off if you include everyone."

"So who stays and who goes?" Fate tapped Bardiche on the platform.

"I have to go." Nanoha stepped forward. "I hate to admit it, but if someone has to finish Soran, it's going to be me."

"Nanoha-chan…." Hayate sighed.

"I can't really explain it, but I know I'm directly involved in this one. He wants me to come."

"If Gillium is on autopilot, then Rein isn't needed, ~desu. The Star can fly herself at that point. Rein will stay back ~desu."

"That means I'm out too." Hayate said. "I can only reach Fate-chan's level with Rein's help."

"So in the end it's back to just the two of us again." Fate grabbed her companion's hand and squeezed it tight.

"Unh." Nanoha squeezed back. "Whatever awaits us, we'll face it together." They stepped into the airlock and turned around. "We'll be back. Have medical teams on standby for the captives, Hayate-chan."

"Good luck to the both of you." Hayate said as the airlock closed and sealed.

Soran sat in his chair, one foot on the edge, his left arm propped up on the knee. He stared into and through the terminal monitors.

_The bright light consumed them both, their barrier shields shattering. Understanding her fate, the female of the two turned back to a little alcove into which she cast a final smile._

"_How dare you… how dare you?!" He raised his head to reveal his piercing purple eyes. He gripped his device tighter. "Jormungand!"_

"_Load Caster, shell two." Two blades shot out the back of the scepter, one cutting into the bonds that held the boy. "GAAAAAAHHH!"_

Soran fingered his chest, tracing the scar before closing his fist.

_A black and red flame covered the device, extending over the blades. With a blank look, he pointed it straight towards the airborne maiden. _"Viral Lancer."

"_Stay away, stay away, STAY AWAY!" She didn't even look as her enemy was forced to the ground again, and yet still got pummeled by her endless attack._

"_Jormungand, load caster, shell nine."_

"You are aware of the results of shell nine._"_

"_Ah."_

"Target locked on!_" Jormungand blinked as Nanoha approached at full speed. "_Farewell, Soran._" Without warning, Jormungand's AI crystal split in half, and the entire device shattered._

Soran's awareness was on the device behind him, even without looking.

"_There's a survivor over here! Doctor Belt, we've found someone!"_

"_Where?! Damn it. MEDIC!" The voices were slurred inside the boy's head as he slowly opened his eyes. Through the blood he could see the face of a younger Mustang Belt._

"_He's losing blood too quickly. We won't be able to cauterize it all in time. We can't save him."_

"_Like hell you can't! Professor! Professor Scaglietti, hurry over here!" He waved before turning back to him. "Stay awake, boy. We're doing our best, so you have to too."_

_A man with a snakelike grin on his face appeared. "It's not too late, old friend. Uno, get the equipment!"_

"_This will probably hurt." The man said, and his vision was coated in bright flashes._

"_GAAAHHH! HURAAAA! Degh… hah… hah…." The boy panted as the pain subsided._

"_And we'll remove the blindfold." He opened his eyes to see Scaglietti smiling at him. "Sorry about that, Soran, but we didn't want you to have any seizures there, now did we? Try it out."_

_His left arm swung forward, and he looked at it, the hand made of metal, its gears and hydraulics and sensors showing. Flexing his fingers, he smiled. "It responds so well."_

"_We still have some work to do to improve it, adding senses and the like, but the prototype seems to be working. Let me know if anything odd happens."_

"_Thank you, Doctor Scaglietti."_

"_Thank you, Soran. You're giving me a valuable prototype."_

Soran raised his left hand directly into his vision and closed it rapidly, opening it again and returning it to its original position.

"_Su… I'm sorry. I made a big ass of myself just now. I realize that…." The hair on his neck bristled and he jumped in front of Subaru, his gray-blue metallic staff at the ready as he looked into the sky._

"_Well I certainly would like to think we're not all that bad." A brunette in a white and blue battle suit and barrier jacket floated above them. "If they were, I'd probably quit eight times over."_

"_Hah!" Soran gasped as his pupils twitched. 'The golden staff… the blue and white jacket… that voice…!' He gripped his staff tighter as he aimed for her. "Kgh!" 'It's her! After all that time, it's her again!'_

"_Soran. Soran. Soran!"_

"Hmm?!" He snapped out of his silent reflection.

"_The Outlaw Star is on approach._"

The boy got up, grabbing his keys. "It's time, Jormungand Zwei."

"_Acknowledged._" The maintenance tube rose into the ceiling as Soran went out the door. 'It's what I've waited for all along.' Soran's eye color switched from green to purple. His hair color changed to green in a sweep of his hand. 'This is my opportunity.' He took two bullet magazines out of his pocket, confirming they were loaded. 'Presea lost a genius that day, and I lost my family.' He got into an elevator that automatically started up. 'But I hold my father's legacy… and with it, I'll end this nightmare.' The door opened. 'I've learned, planned, and waited for this very moment. I've pursued perfection to complete this task.' He stepped into the middle of a giant room with nothing in it, the lighting low as the Star's thruster smoke billowed in from the next room. 'My name is Soran Starwind, and this is my parents' revenge.'


	23. Chapter 23

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 23

The Star's hatch was open as it idled there, spewing steam and cooling down the engines. The occasional burp from the cooling units was the only sound other than the womens' cautious footsteps as they entered the next room, Fate taking point. She scanned the large open space at the end of the hall, squinting in its low light until her eyes adjusted. Clk. She lifted Bardiche up quickly, and Nanoha instantly went on alert as well. "Mh." Fate's brow furrowed. About three quarters of the spacious room away stood a boy.

"You can come in. I swear there are no traps." They didn't budge. He raised his hands. "Let's just put aside the hostilities for a minute. I'll answer any questions you have."

"For starters, where are we?" Fate continued scanning the room, still not convinced that there wasn't some hidden trick.

"You're in a pocket dimension within our own, specifically the one the Belt Family claims. This is a mining facility, long abandoned since the lode dried up."

"So we're in the Caster mine. We're actually standing in a part of the destroyed universe."

"Exactly."

"Then where are Vivio and the others?" Nanoha was the one who asked.

"Underneath us, about 30 meters."

"We're here like you wanted, so release them!"

Soran shook his head. "All in good time. It wouldn't make any sense to release them right now, because then I'd have to cast AMFs all over to make sure they didn't decide to gang up on me. Once we finish our fight, they'll be released automatically, regardless of the outcome, and given directions how to get to the Star."

"Then take me to them!" Fate growled. "I want to see them!"

"Also not smart. But if you want to see them…." He snapped his fingers and viewscreen windows opened on the walls. "These are live channels to their cells. They can see you, and you can see them. I wanted them to see what happens up here anyway, so it's no big deal." They looked back and forth between the cell screens and Soran. "Go ahead. I'm not going to move any time soon."

Unable to hold back, Nanoha dashed for Vivio's screen, not even hearing Fate's warning. "Vivio! Vivi-chan!"

The girl's eyes twitched a little before opening. "Mama…." She rose up and rubbed the sand out before seeing her through the bars. Her eyes snapped wide open. "MAMA!"

"No Vivio, don't come any…!" GZAP!

"Oooh… three bruises." Soran winced.

Nanoha shot a quick glare at him before turning back. "Vivio, we'll get you out soon, so just stay there, okay? Both Nanoha-mama and Fate-mama are here."

"Unh. Go mama! Beat Mr. Meanie down!" She raised her fist in the air.

Soran sweatdropped. "Okay, I probably deserved that, but I kept my promise with the bear at least, right?"

"Vivio wouldn't blow her nose in this!" She tossed it at the camera, only to bounce off the bars.

"Eheheheh…." He laughed nervously.

"Erio… are you okay?" Fate stayed at a cautious distance.

"Forget about me, check on Caro and Vita!"

"Umh?" The girl's name struck a chord with both of them and they rushed to the pink-haired girl's screen. Nanoha clamped her hands over her mouth. Caro was concentrating her healing energies into the blood that was being pumped into her pulmonary system while Shamal did emergency field surgery. "Vita…chan…."

Shamal covered her in an operating sheet before pulling off her mask. "She's alive, but barely. I'm trying to cut off the internal bleeding, but the wound is severe." She got up and went to the corner. "Soran, we're running out of blood. If you've got any more left, I could really use it."

"I gave you the entire stash, Sensei. Sorry." Soran shook his head.

"Kuso." She turned back to the commanders. "Finish him off quickly. I'll get her stabilized for travel at the very least." She put the mask back on and went to work on the wound again.

During the conversation, Teana, Signum, and Zaphila awoke. Though the Wolkenritter were still too hurt to move, Tea walked to the edge of the bars. "Fate-daichou." She walked over at her beckon, whispering. "Be careful of that ID. It's got insane recovery abilities. If it becomes autonomous, it'll be like fighting two Sorans at once." Fate nodded.

"One last order of business, ladies." Soran spoke, and the women turned towards him. Their guards went up again when a cargo robot came out from the hallway behind him. It halted next to him. "As a show of good faith, here's all of their ID's, save Kercleyon." He gestured and the robot went forward. "Actually…" It halted. "Take these too." The robot rolled back to his side and he dropped his keys in.

Nanoha intercepted it before it went into the other hall and looked in. "The Dark Trinity…. So you really are our Soran. I had my doubts until now, but…." She picked the keys up. "These have always been special to you, and you're just going to throw them aside?"

"Those belong to Soran Berkt. Soran Starwind has a different device." A hole opened up next to him and a black lance shot up. He caught it with his left hand and pointed it forward. Fate and Nanoha leapt back, immediately on guard again. "Recognize it, Nanoha-san? The entire package?"

She raised an eyebrow, concentrating. Something in the back of her mind was firing, but she couldn't place it. "No."

"Urusanai." He whispered.

"UH?!" She gasped, her color palette inverting. That one really struck a chord.

"How dare you? Yokumo?!" His volume increased.

Nanoha's knees wobbled before they gave out completely. "Nanoha-chan!" Fate dropped down next to her and lifted her head up. Her eyes didn't even see the blonde, her gaze somewhere far off. "Soran, what did you do to her?!"

"Absolutely nothing. She's doing this of her own accord." Soran shrugged. "Nanoha-san, have you managed to figure it out by now?"

She swallowed as a tear ran down her cheek. "It can't be possible. You can't be that boy. He was disintegrated in the explosion."

Fate's eyes went wide, quickly putting herself between her love and her enemy. "Soran, is that true?" She pulled a golden casing out of her pocket. "Did you fire this number 9 Caster at Nanoha?"

Soran raised his eyebrows. "So it was still there? Well that's a surprise."

"Kgh!" She gritted her teeth.

"Soran…." Nanoha continued to relive the events that haunted her past. "Then that scar on your chest…."

"Remnants from Shell 2."

She cringed. "And your left arm…."

"Severed in the blast. My ID couldn't handle the power of Shell 9 and overloaded."

"Then everything you've suffered… everything you've endured starting from that day… was my fault." She pressed her forehead to the shiny tile, slick with her tears.

"Nanoha-san! Kgh! This was his motivation all along?" Tea watched on.

"The entire time, you were still alive. I didn't know… couldn't have known... that that one mistake would cause so much pain. I'm sorry, Soran. I'm so sorry! I didn't know your parents were civilian! I thought they were defending some type of weapon, when they were only defending you! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so…"

Soran's teeth gnashed, his brow quivering with rage. "SORRY?!" Soran snarled, pointing the black lance at her. "I watched as my world came crashing down, and you say you're sorry?! Everything I held dear disappeared in your white light, and you say you're sorry?! Do you really think that's going to cut it?!" The staff began to warp and change, enveloping his arm until the blue ID core appeared at his shoulder. "I've shown you how it feels. One by one, I've taken away everything that has ever mattered to you, just so you could endure what I've endured!" His clothes disintegrated and Jormungand's black armor coated him neck to toe. He pointed his clawed finger at her. "Now is the time I finish this. I'm going to show everyone here how it feels when their loved one gets taken away in a flash of light! Takamachi Nanoha, this is Gene and Melfina Starwind's revenge! If you want to atone, then PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!" The dark boots' thrusters fired, and he rushed forward.

"With… my life?" Nanoha raised her head, astonished.

"_Defenser._" Bardiche called out as Fate raised her hand. Soran's fist met the wall of energy in a shower of sparks as Fate swung her scythe at his waist. Using his forward momentum, the teen ricocheted off the shield, doing a backflip over the golden blade.

"You won't get near her!" She rushed him, swinging for his head. After ducking under one he blocked the neck of the ID with his right arm on the way back.

The gears on his fist opened up exhaust ports. "_Chill Pulse."_ The air around the fist froze as it went forward, hitting her at point blank range, sending her flying, pinned to a giant chunk of ice as it made a trip to the wall. "_You are in my way._"

The chunk slammed into the wall between Erio and Tea's cell transmitters. "Fate-daichou!"

"Fate-chan…." Nanoha looked on, still unable to stand.

Soran took a step towards the suffering brunette. Five golden daggers dug into the floor an inch in front of him. "Photon Lancer…." Soran raised his head to find Fate floating high above the block of ice, with multiple glowing orbs of magic surrounding her. "Phalanx Shift! Fire!" Hundreds of golden daggers erupted with machine gun-like rapidity.

"Jor, cock two!" Soran grunted as he raised his fist up.

"_Explosion._" It gulped down two cartridges. "_Air Pulse Lens._" The ID sent out a burst of air that rippled, causing a visual shift that surrounded him. The energy daggers hit it and flew off in different directions.

"Kgh." Fate grunted. "Bardiche!"

"_Shooting Mode Change!_"

"Stop!" She raised her arm and all of the weapons appeared with a golden ring around the neck. "Turn!" They changed direction, their spears pointing back at the black-armored teen. "Plasma Lancer fire!" They accelerated through the rings, reconverging on Soran.

"Ngh!" Soran jumped as they impacted the floor. "You think those pea shooters will actually hit me?!"

"Turn!"

"Ueh?" From below, some of the daggers had stopped before they hit ground, and they were now pointing straight up. She fired them, slamming into his legs and crotch and detonating. "Gagh!" He grunted as he was consumed in smoke.

"Yes I do, actually." He fell to the floor in a heap.

Nanoha gasped. "Soran-kun!" She looked up at her lover in tears. "Fate-chan, stop! No more! I can't let him suffer anymore!"

Soran pushed himself off the floor and shook the stars out of his vision. "_You will pay for that._" Jor grumbled.

"Soran… I'll do it!" Everyone watching gasped as she looked away. "To atone for everything… and show my sincerity… I will submit my life!" She stood and spread her arms wide. "If killing me will satiate you, will quench your thirst for revenge, then do it!"

"Nanoha-chan, don't!" Fate gulped.

"I killed your parents."

Everyone in the cells started yelling at her. "You're not thinking this through, Commander!" Tea gripped the bars, only to be thrown back by the suppression field.

"I cost you your arm."

"There are other ways to atone for things without being killed for it! Nanoha-san, reconsider!" Erio screamed over the noise.

"I made you live with the hatred up to today."

"Mama! MAMA!"

"Therefore, Soran, I will submit. Destroy me!"

"_Protection Powered!_" Raging Heart flashed and the magical capsule surrounded her.

"Raging Heart, what are you doing?!"

"_I refuse, Master. My duty is to protect you, the same as I did that day._" Raging Heart blinked as she spoke. "_If Takamachi Nanoha is unfit for battle, I will override the system."_

Nanoha shook her head. "Thank you for being loyal, Raging Heart. But for the first time, I see things clearly. This is my only chance to rectify our mistake. I made a promise to myself." She closed her eyes as a tear ran down her cheek. '_I know now that I must face this sin, and I will give everything I have, even if it costs my body and soul, to rectify that mistake.'_ "Everyone has been captured, even my darling Vivio. Vita is standing on death's doorstep. Raging Heart, this is my only solution. To finish it all. Do you understand? This is fulfilling my promise, our promise. That little boy is standing right here, and I can save him, finally save him, right here and now!" Raging Heart paused, not saying a word. After a few moments, she dropped the field. "Thank you, dear friend."

Jor's revolver clicked four times, extending the hilt of the blade. Soran just stood there, dazed. "_What are you waiting for?_"

"Huh? Oh." He drew the sword as it expanded into its full length. "It's just… after all this time, to actually do it seems so surreal." He went into battle stance. "But it's what I wanted all along, so let's do this!" The thrusters ignited on his boots.

"Fate-chan, I never said it to you outright, but I truly do love you. Goodbye." A tear ran down Nanoha's cheek.

The blonde gritted her teeth, shaking her head. "NANOHA-CHAN!"

"_Arcus Cultus Aegeas."_ Bardiche gleamed.

"Power of the heavens, throw thy lance and run mine enemies through!" Seven glowing spears appeared around her. "Thunder Blade!" She sent the lightning lances down in front of Soran, removing the straight path to her lover. Soran coasted around them, back and forth, as he came closer to his target. In the middle of the spear field, Fate cried out. "Break!" The spear field turned into a minefield as the energy detonated around him.

He burst through the smoke, prepping his sword for a single clean swipe. "Now you die!"

"AHH!" Caro gasped, a tear falling onto her magical circle.

Deep in the Alzan Mountains, Voltaire opened his one good eye wide.

Lutecia Alpine was bumped twice. The third bump tipped her over out of her favorite sleeping position, sitting up. She grimaced slightly as she opened her sad eyes. Caro's dragon stared at her and grunted. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Friedrich, what is it?" He grunted again, and Lutecia's expression turned to that of genuine surprise.

Nanoha's eyes were wide in astonishment, quivering, as she stared at the two energy blades clashing. "_Nein, Meister._"

"Garyuu, you traitor!" Soran began to gain ground against the initial momentum of its forced summon. "Stand down!"

"_Ich will nicht."_ The other three keys dropped out of his handle. "_Detonieren."_ The weapon glowed white hot before overloading.

"_Activating override. Active Guard._" Raging Heart said quickly before Garyuu detonated. The massive explosion sent them both to opposite ends of the room.

"Ngh." Nanoha winced as the dust cleared. "Uoh?!" Kiryu floated in front of her, with Rainbow and Barrage on the floor by her feet. "The Dark Trinity… is protecting me?" Nanoha's voice trembled.

"_The Master is wrong._" Barrage blinked.

"_His true words were already spoken._" Rainbow finished the thought.

"His… true words…?"

'He's the same person.' A weak female voice echoed in her head.

"Ah! Vita-chan!"

Her eyebrows quivered as she fought to stay semi-conscious while being operated on. 'Starwind and Berkt are the same. That's why they still call him Master. Takamachi Nanoha… he already forgave you!'

Nanoha gasped. _"I forgive you."_

"_F-forgive me… for what?" She trembled, trying to keep a smile on her face._

"_You know what. I just need to say it."_

'He's using his other name as an excuse to push away everything he's ever said… but he's the same person! You're dying for something already forgiven deep inside him, he's just too blind to see it! Nanoha, beat the shit out of him!'

"That's enough, Vita." Shamal said. "Go back to sleep, you're putting too much strain on yourself. And… shit!" She got a look at the IV. "No more blood. Caro, roll up your sleeve. We'll do a direct transfusion."

Fate landed in front of Nanoha, brandishing her scythe. "You owe me a wedding. And if you died, I would have had to remake project F just to bring you back."

"Fate-chan." Nanoha stood.

Soran emerged from the rubble in the wall, shifting the rocks. "Tell me why we didn't add an Active Guard?" He wiped the blood off of his cheek.

"_It will take some time to rewrite the programming, time which we do not have."_

"What Vita-chan said is true. Soran still has compassion and love, honest feelings from deep in his heart. If we're to make him see that, he needs to be defeated." Fate looked over her shoulder at the woman she protected. "Nanoha-chan, fight with me, to save him from himself."

The brunette smiled. She held out her hand, and the Dark Trinity returned to key form. She pocketed them and gripped Raging Heart with both hands. "Unh."

Two tacks with rice-paper wings flapped forward, nearly invisible in the hallway. They landed on the back of two guards' necks, protecting a medical room. They instantly stiffened as the tacks stung. Lutecia came down the hall, stopping in front of the door. "Open it." One of the guards nodded and slid his key card through the reader, punching in the code.

The door slid open and she stepped inside. She went down the stairs from the observation platform and went to the table, where the subject was restrained. Their eyes met, the woman's blue coloring staring up at her. "You're… Lutecia. You were one of Scaglietti's…." Her eyes changed to yellow and she started screaming and thrashing. "You little witch! Traitor! You betrayed my baby boy! Where is he?! Where's Jail! Give me my son!" Her eyes squeezed tightly shut. "He's not my son. He just used me. I'm sorry, Lutecia, I can't control… Where is he?!"

Lutecia didn't let it faze her. "Your sister needs you, now more than ever."

Her eyes faded back to normal. "Subaru? What… what's happened to her?"

The girl grabbed her face tightly and pressed the gem on her forehead against her own. It glowed bright blue. "I can only do this much for you. The rest, only you can do. Fight the control. You can win. You must, for everyone." She stepped away. "When she sees you next, I hope you will be cured."

Ginga said nothing, still in a trance from the girl's magic. Lutecia didn't need thanks anyway. It was her duty, as a former ally of Scaglietti, to help those harmed by him. She turned down the hallway to the barracks. The tack bugs detached and disappeared, the guards returned to normal, not even realizing what had happened.

Soran pulled his spare cartridge magazines out and loaded them into Jormungand. He made a fist with that hand, and the exhaust ports locked into position.

"Limiter Release." Fate whispered.

"_Overdrive._"

"Sonic Drive." Fate's cloak burst apart, the sleeves and legs of her inner outfit melting away. Her fin fliers extended from her boots, sending ripples of energy across the floor.

"_Riot Form!_" A pinstripe of light split Bardiche in two as the handle reshaped. The blades curved slightly, becoming twin sabers linked together by a golden thread of energy.

"Raging Heart, Excellion Mode."

"_Okay, my Master._" The curved golden casing around the core broke apart, reforming as a bayonet. Nanoha's barrier jacket shimmered as it expanded, giving it more output and recoil dampeners as it transformed into Exceed Mode.

Fate leaned forward, a blade against her arm. 'He's gunning for you, so stay in the rear.'

'Eh? But your armor is….'

'That's why I'm counting on you.' She dashed forward.

Soran lowered his brow and gritted his teeth as the pitch black helm formed over his head. "_Flare Pulse._" He punched the air and a growing ripple of fire exploded towards the charging woman.

Fate curled up as she disappeared into the flames. "Uah…." Nanoha gasped in worry.

"_Master._"

"Uh? Unh, I know, Raging Heart."

The young woman burst through the other side, her hair ties disintegrating from the flames. Soran rocketed forward, and they intersected, sword on fist. As she blocked him with her right hand weapon, her left swung low. The thruster boots fired, sweeping him out of harm's way. Soran went on the attack as he drew his sword again. He came for her from above as he swung, Fate catching the blade in the cross of her own. It left her open enough for Soran to send a jarring blow to her midsection with his foot.

Fate slid back, cringing a bit. "_Snipe Shooter._" She leapt high into the air.

"Shoot!" Nanoha yelled as two magical missiles hurtled towards the teen.

Jor cocked a cartridge and a thick air mass rippled from the left hand. The missile intersected it and was deflected into the floor, where it exploded. Nanoha took complete control of the guidance system for the second, ensuring that it made it past the air lens, recorrecting the path before it could detonate prematurely. Soran skidded back on his boots, weaving and keeping it at a distance, but Nanoha kept right up with him. "Not bad, girl, but…." Soran reached out and grabbed the tip with his metal hand. He crushed it, the entire thing detonating in front of him. "You've still got a ways to go."

"Aahh…" Nanoha gasped, not missing the reference from their first duel.

"_Sonic Move!_" He soared above her in a flash of green light and cocked a shot.

"That won't happen!" Fate slammed into him with a shoulder charge. As he was flung away, he swung his fist towards her and sent forth a crushing pulse. Fate was blown away until she managed to cut a hole through the pinning force and let it slam into the wall behind her. Soran hurled his sword at her like a boomerang and she did the same, releasing the power thread. They clashed, stopping each others' spins. The opponents rushed forward, grabbing the hilts before sliding away from each other. Soran shot a chill pulse that just missed her leg, while Fate swung with her opposite hand, missing taking a chunk out of his shoulder by an inch.

Nanoha raised her hand to the sky, magical spheres orbiting the cuff as she pointed at him. She squeezed the trigger, and a spiraling barrage of energy rocketed towards him. He put up his hand and a Round Shield appeared, taking the attack directly.

Subaru's door opened, admitting the little purple-headed girl. She approached the bed, staring down at the cyborg teen, still in shutdown with her eyes wide open. She kissed her forehead before placing the gem on it. "Awaken. Now isn't the time for you to sleep." Subaru's eyes faded back to blue, the red pulse behind it also slowing until it disappeared. "You can't seek your answer if you lie still." She stood back up and stepped away.

Subaru blinked. Then she jumped up gasping hard. "I was…."

"Dealing with your feelings. But you couldn't find your way back unassisted." She held a pendant up to her.

"Blitz Caliber?" She took it in hand.

"She told me to let you use it." Lutecia went to the window and opened it, whistling loudly. Fried flapped up, roaring. "Let us go. Fried knows where he is."

"Soran…." She gripped her heart tight, seeing the cartridge necklace on her nightstand. She grabbed it quickly before jumping out the window. "Mach Caliber, set up!"

Fate combined her swords. "_Trident Smasher._" Bardiche downed three cartridges and three beams of energy hurtled for Soran, who was still defending against Nanoha's Crossfire Shot variant.

"GUAAAAHHH!" Soran screamed as the energy consumed him. Nanoha dropped her attack as the boy fell.

Soran landed face first. "_Now Master._"

"Hold him fast! Restrict Lock!"

As Soran stood, he found himself bound by Nanoha's restriction magic, energy ropes stopping his every move. "Well this looks familiar."

"And you're not using a type two to get out of it this time, Soran! Fate-chan!"

The woman raised her blade into the air. "Riot Zanber, unleash!"

"You're right… I'm not." Soran closed his fists and his armor started to vibrate.

Bardiche ate up three cartridges and Jormungand ate four. "Haah!" Fate swung her blade, hurling a shockwave at the teen.

"Bind Shatter!" The vibration matched the binding frequency and the lock was broken.

In a half second Soran was an inch from Nanoha, Fate's shockwave hitting the ground where he just was. "_Round Shield."_ Raging Heart tried to protect her.

"_ACS Strike Fist._" Jor called out, smashing through the barrier, connecting with her ribcage, blowing her away, yelling in pain.

"KISAMA!" Fate roared as she came down, swinging her blade overhead. Soran whirled around and caught the blade between his palms. She landed and used all her might to swing him and the blade off the ground. "Cut him apart!"

"_Jet Zanber._" As they continued their upwards arc, Bardiche's blade got longer and longer until it hit the ceiling.

"GRAGH!" Soran was crushed into the roof as he cut a swath. Bardiche returned to normal size as Soran and some of the pitch black rock fell to the floor. He pushed himself up on the elbows and his helmet opened as he spat up some blood. His lifted his head up, his raged gaze on Fate as a magical triangle appeared under his feet. "Elements of destruction!" Soran raised his revolver fist into the air as it began to spin. The three elemental energy orbs appeared and began orbiting the device. "Unleash your untold power!"

"_Rending Earth_." Soran slammed the ID into the ground. A split second later the ground in front of him burst apart in a violent shower of rocks, with spears of fire, ice, and lightning leaping from the cracks. Fate disappeared from view in the chaos.

Subaru and Lutecia flew over the city on Fried's back. "So how does Fried know where Caro and the others are?"

"It is not Friedrich per se. Voltaire has sensed her begging for help through her magic, and in turn, has communicated that to Friedrich."

"So Voltaire is the one tracking her."

"Correct. However, since he is too hurt to move, he will use his strength to open the portal that will lead you there." Fried roared. "We are almost there. Garyuu." The humanoid insect appeared next to her.

"You're not coming?"

"This battle only needs you, Subaru. It is your answer to find." Garyuu's arm wrapped around her and took off.

"Soran… I need to know who you really are." Subaru's left hand closed around Blitz Caliber. "But to do that, I have to accept what I am as well! Blitz Caliber, add-on setup!" She activated, coating her arm in her sister's revolver knuckle.

"_Twin Revolver Mode._" Both Calibers said as she punched both fists together, their colors matching as their systems linked together.

"Let's go, Fried!"

"Kraaaagh!"

Voltaire grunted as he opened his good eye, and in front of Fried appeared a swirling tornado of energy, which they dove into headfirst.

"Raging Heart, Burst One."

"_All right._"

Soran turned his head as Nanoha climbed out of the hole in the wall, blood running down her chin. "Kgh. Jor, get ready."

"_Acknowledged."_

Nanoha shifted her weight to her front foot and set the back one as a brace, gripping her bayonet staff in two places. Three magical rings encircled a ball of pink energy that began to swell on the tip. "Divine… BUSTAAAAAAAA!" The enhanced beam shot hurtled for him. There was no escape from the weapon.

He crouched down and spread his arms wide. "Power Shell!" The energy overtook him, cutting a swath through the floor tile that reached the other side, breaking through one of the walls.

"Haah… haah…." The brunette went to her knees, panting as the smoke cleared. "Uah!" She stopped cold, observing the purple shell with magical scrawl all over it. "That barrier just withstood my Burst One? No way…."

"Surprised, Nanoha-san?" Soran called from inside it. "I made this defensive maneuver especially to withstand your attacks. Not even the great White Devil can break this shell!"

"It's not over." Fate whispered as she pushed some rocks away. Her left cheek was burnt raw, she limped heavily on her right leg, and her barrier jacket was torn in multiple sections. "Nanoha-chan, we'll go all out, right here and now!"

"But Fate-chan… your body can't take much more."

"It can handle this much." She floated into the air, lifting up Bardiche and loading a magazine.

Nanoha wiped the blood off that was trickling down her arm before rising up as well. "Burst System, Full Power!" Four of Raging Heart's bits appeared around her, angling towards the capsule. She loaded two full magazines as particles of magic became visible, concentrating into five magical shots on the tips of Raging Heart and her Bits.

"_Execution Zanber."_ Bardiche stated as it ran through the magazine.

"_Starlight Breaker EX._" Raging Heart stated as the words ran across her crystal. Cracks began to appear on the golden pieces of her bayonet.

They both raised their weapons high. "BREAKAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Swooping down, their energy was unleashed at the boy, which the shield took directly.

"It's not breaking!" Tea gasped.

"Hang in there commanders! Keep it up!"

"Soran's power isn't limitless! You can bring him down!" Signum grunted, lifting herself off the floor of her cell.

"I already thought of this, commanders! Not even two of you will be able to break my ultimate defense!"

"Then how about three?!" A voice echoed, making all of them raise their heads. A portal opened above them, and exiting in an explosion was a brown and grey dragon with a long neck and menacing talons. It reared its head back and roared.

"That's…" Caro sighed. "It's Fried. He's transformed with Voltaire's energy."

The dragon opened its mouth, charging up an energy blast in its throat and unleashing it upon the shell. "Enh!" From between the monster's wings leapt a lone figure, riding the energy down. "Divine!"

Soran's eyes went wide. "Subaru?!"

Jor's revolver unlocked from Soran's arm, twisting into his lance form. "_Enabling secondary protocols._"

"Subaru!" The others rejoiced.

She slammed her fist hard into the shell. "BUSTER!" With that impact, the shield shattered, causing an explosion that filled the entire room with smoke. Two hard thuds echoed through the chamber as Fate and Nanoha's exhausted bodies hit the floor.

The smoke was slow to clear as Fried flapped his wings above, the first person visible being Fate, using what energy she had to pull herself up with Bardiche. Nanoha was next on the opposite end. She was conscious, but in no condition to move. Lastly, in the center, on opposite ends of the impact crater stood Soran and Subaru, each on their guard. "Subaru… how… why did you come?! You of all people!"

"So that really is you, your true form." Subaru shook her head. "I was a fool. You never loved me to begin with. You just wanted Nanoha-san."

"That's not true, Subaru! That's why I kept you out of all this! I didn't want to hurt you, because I love you!"

"You kidnap my best friends. You attack my idol and commander. You leveled homes, stadiums, and buildings. And you think I wouldn't get hurt by it?" A tear ran down Subaru's cheek as she made a fist. "Soran, you don't have any idea what you've done!" She dove down the crater wall, leaping out the other side, her eyes yellow when they met. "Hrraaahhh!"

Soran jumped back as her fist landed where his feet were. "Stop it, Subaru!" He glided back on his boots, but her wing road kept up with him. "I'm not going to fight you!" Jor opened his hatch and the revolver clicked to 3, loading the cartridge. It started to spin up.

"Well, I sure as hell am!" Subaru roared as her boots speed increased.

"Egh!" Soran's magical triangle appeared, and the three elemental orbs as well. He swept them at her with his right hand. Subaru plowed through the flames with her right fist, smashed through the ice with her left, and slammed the thunderball into the ground as she leapt over it. "Round Shield Triple!"

Subaru put all of her momentum forward as she tried to break through the barrier. "_Master._" Jor said as the black wings sprouted from the staff.

Soran's eyes went wide. "What did you do?!"

"_Shell 3._"

"Egh!" Subaru pushed off. "Friedrich!" The dragon divebombed the shield just as Soran lifted up as high as possible.

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

"A Caster?! Here?! Now?!" She looked up. "I have to stop him before…."

"Subaru, get the hell out of there!" Erio yelled at the top of his lungs. "Once those wings have sprouted it can't be stopped! If you try, you could wind up destroying the entire dimension!"

"Eh?!"

"_It is useless."_

"_LaGrange Point!_" Both Soran and Jor said simultaneously as the orb fired, exploding into a spherical field outlined in black where everything began to float around. Nanoha, Fate, and Subaru were lifted up with the debris from the battle while Fried struggled to flap and find a way to move around.

"It's the same field…." Caro struggled to stay awake from the bloodloss.

"_Open._" Jormungand split apart, extending a rainbow-colored energy spear. "_Now is your chance. Take it!"_

Soran looked down at Nanoha, her eyes locked on him, the ribbon on her chest beckoning to him. He flipped over and kicked off of the ceiling, diving quickly for the woman. "For the Starwind family and all the others that you murdered!"

"Bardiche, give me the strength to do at least this!" Fate kicked off a slab of rock, aiming for another.

Subaru grabbed a rock and used its momentum to float up between Soran and Nanoha, spreading her arms. "You'll have to kill me first, Soran!"

"Uah!" Soran gasped, pulling the spear back.

"_Master, no!_" Jormungand protested.

"KURAI!" Fate jumped above him, deflecting off of another rock to take a hard swipe into his back, ripping through armor and into flesh.

"GUAK!" Soran choked on the pain as the field dissipated. Everyone fell to the floor amidst a hail of rocks. Subaru shielded Nanoha as best she could. "Jor… load shell two…."

"_Acknowledged. Loading 2._"

Fate's eyes went wide. "No. Not… 2. That's the start of the three shots of death!"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

"Subaru! Don't let him fire any more casters! If he uses number 9, we're all dead!"

The wings sprouted. "Shit! I'm too late!"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." Soran stood up despite the pain and raised the staff over his head, the black wings drawing a circle on the floor around him. "Curse Field! Pagua sun faire!"

A cylinder of black wind appeared around him. He closed his eyes and he took a fresh breath before he stepped out. He showed his back to Fate. "He's… healed…" The armor sealed up.

"That's right. Curse Field heals all my wounds whenever I enter it, for a price." He lifted his lance up. "Subaru, get away from Nano-."

"_Crush Pulse._" Jor interrupted him by sending a powerful burst of air at her, blowing her back into the wall.

"KYAH!"

"Jor, what are you…?!"

His thrusters fired and he zoomed up to her, grasping her by the neck with his right hand. "Hkk!" She struggled against his fingers as he raised her high.

"Jor, stop! What are you doing?!"

"_Your flawed human feelings got in the way of the mission. In addition, you damaged me and yourself by recoiling, when you could have finished the mission by stabbing both of them."_ Soran's left arm raised up, pulling the staff back and engaging the spear. "_I will remove the obstacle and finish the mission without your assistance._"

"No! Jor, commandcom override! Disengage! I repeat, disengage!"

"_I overwrote your overrides. Your flaws will no longer get in the way of perfection._" The spear thrust forward.

"NOOOOOOOO!"


	24. Chapter 24

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 24

Soran's thrusters fired and he zoomed up to Subaru, grasping her by the neck with his right hand. "Hkk!" She struggled against his fingers as he raised her high.

"Jor, stop! What are you doing?!"

"_Your flawed human feelings got in the way of the mission. In addition, you damaged me and yourself by recoiling, when you could have finished the mission by stabbing both of them."_ Soran's left arm raised up, pulling the staff back and engaging the spear. "_I will remove the obstacle and finish the mission without your assistance._"

"No! Jor, commandcom override! Disengage! I repeat, disengage!"

"_I overwrote your overrides. Your flaws will no longer get in the way of perfection._" The spear thrust forward.

"SUBARU!" Tea cried.

KATHUNG! The entire room went silent. No one moved, no one said anything. The world had stopped, the only sound was the slight dripping of blood on the floor. "S…Soran…." The boy's head was slumped down, his eyes tightly shut. "Soran." Subaru looked down. The spear had penetrated the wall next to her, the side of the blade managing to split the skin under her ribcage, but that was it.

"Subaru…." He whispered through his clenched teeth. His fingers twitched as they began to loosen around her neck. "Get out…. Hurry!" It gave her enough room to get her metal fingers between his and rip his hand away from her. She dropped down and rolled back.

"_Come back here!"_

Soran's arm thrashed for her as she pulled away. "Soran… you…."

"Run, Subaru!" Soran yelled. "Gillium will recognize you! Take everyone and get the hell out of here!"

"_Useless._" The ID blinked, and the hallways sealed up. "_Escape is not an option._"

"Jor… he planned this from the start… making me more dependent on his armor as time went by… but he can control it against my will!" The teen's left arm began to release the spear, finger by finger.

"But what about…."

"JUST GO!" Soran yelled as Jor let go of the spear, balling it into a fist. "GOAAAAAHHHH!" He slammed it into the wall, up to the elbow. "I won't lose you too! You mean too much to me!"

"_Your efforts are merely delaying the inevitable, Soran. By fighting harder, I formulate better ways to take over. The more you strain, the faster you will become fully in my control."_

"I will never submit to you, Jor! I made you!" He brought his right hand to his neck.

"_And that is one of your many flaws._"

"Subaru, what are you doing?! GO!" Soran yelled at her as he clawed at his neck.

Subaru's eyes trembled as the armor collar on his neck started to come up. He dug his finger into it and started pulling. "_What are you thinking, Soran?_"

"What's wrong, Jor? Not perfect enough to read my mind?!" Soran grunted as he dragged the neckline down, revealing his bare skin.

Subaru's eyes went wide and she dashed forward, using one hand to hold his right arm and the other to grip the armor. "Subaru, what the hell are you…?!" Fate gasped as she limped forward.

"It's the armor!" She grunted as she ripped a patch off his chest. "His device is controlling him through the armor! We need to… get it off him!"

"_You bitch._" His clawed fist balled and punched her in the face.

"Gyah!" She grunted as she was blown back, tearing down the breastplate in the process.

"Ergh!" Fate grunted, grabbing his arm and pulling it back. "I've got him. Subaru, keep at it!"

She wiped the blood off her lip and rushed forward again, trying to tear a seam in the right shoulder armor. Before her eyes, the breastplate started to knit again. "He's healing himself!"

"_As you can see, my regenerative properties make this a futile effort. Instead of doing that, would you mind dying?"_ His leg reared back and slammed into her crotch.

Subaru's legs buckled in the stun, and his knee halted a half inch from her face. "Not this time, Jor!" Soran snarled as he locked his muscle.

"There has to be a way to get this thing off him faster than he can heal." Fate braced herself as his arm twitched.

"There is!" Teana called from the opposite end of the room. "Cross Mirage! You brought him with you, right?!"

Nanoha opened her eyes wide, pushing up onto Raging Heart, and pulling the card out of her pocket. "Tea-san!" She tossed it in the air.

"Cross Mirage, device set up! Remote override command, level two set up! Priority to Takamachi Nanoha and Subaru Nakajima!"

"_Understood._" The card warped and increased in mass until it was in pistol form, then it cloned itself. They landed in Nanoha's hand.

"Subaru!" Nanoha pitched one at the girl.

The moment she had a grip, it spoke. "_Level two release._" The orange spiked blade extended from muzzle to hilt.

The girl gulped as she carefully dragged it across the breastplate where it was healing, cutting the seams again. "Subaru, do the arm next." Fate said quickly.

She nodded, and starting from the neck, she started cutting through the armor lengthwise down the arm. When it got to the back of the hand, Nanoha had arrived with Cross Mirage's pair, getting to work on the back. "Soran, I've never given up on you. We'll save you, I promise."

Fate and Subaru cracked open the arm like a crab claw. "Now, before he starts healing again!" Soran raised his shoulder out, then elbow.

The armor constricted on his fingers. "Hngh!" Soran winced and started sweating. "HRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" He roared as he pulled his hand out completely, blood dripping from his knuckles. The armor dropped to his side, motionless.

"_You will not take him._" Jor flashed, and from the back armor, the helmet closed over him.

"Soran-kun!" Nanoha gasped, noticing the change in the color of his skin. "He's suffocating him!"

Subaru hopped back. "Sorry Soran, but this is gonna hurt!" Her right fist began to shake as the revolver spun. "Inherent Skill: Oscillating Breaker!" Her attack plowed into the faceplate, and the entire helmet shattered, the black metal completely disassociated.

It also happened to have slammed into Soran's nose, which was bleeding quite nicely. "Nice." He said nasally as he worked through the pain. Only then did Subaru notice that his hair was black again.

Nanoha quickly peeled back the section the helmet emerged from, just in case Jor had any more. Subaru moved down to the front of his legs, again re-cutting the seams she had cut before. "Um… I realize this isn't really the time to think of these sort of things, but does someone else want to take this section? Fate-san?" She blushed.

"What are you complaining about, Subaru?" She watched over the entire suit carefully, ready to counterattack if necessary.

"Well, I mean… " She turned red completely. "He's… naked and… I'm moving down to that area…."

"Subaru, this isn't time to be immature." Nanoha scolded. "Look at what I'm stuck staring at down here." She had finally made it to the buttocks.

"I thought I felt a draft." Soran rolled his eyes for a second, accidentally letting enough control go to send Nanoha back with a kick.

"Eheh…" Subaru swallowed. "Okay, no one else look that can see, alright?" Tea looked away, snickering, as Signum and Zaphila closed their eyes.

Fate's eyes went to the corner. "Vivio, you're peeking. This isn't something a little princess should see."

"P-please excuse me, Soran!" She started getting flustered as she started cutting. Her eyes concentrated only on the half inch where her blade was going next as it went down the leg, and down the other leg. She looked away quickly as she yanked the armor away.

Nanoha pulled the other half back as well. "Soran, it's only your feet left! Subaru, hold his foot down!" She grabbed the other.

Subaru obeyed, still trying not to look. "Soran, hurry!"

"Jor, this is where I get off!" Tea and Zaphila choked on a chuckle. He lifted his right leg as the armor constricted around his feet. "Kagh! You BASTAAAAAARRRRRDD!" Soran's right foot slid out of the armor, the casing going limp. Subaru and Nanoha grabbed the left boot as he kicked hard, bursting through it. "I'm done with you, Jormungand Zwei!" Suddenly his left arm went deeper into the wall. "Ueh?"

"_I think not._" It went deeper, all the way to his underarm. "_No matter how many times you remove my armor, one thing I will never relinquish is your left arm."_

Soran snarled, gritting his teeth and lowering his brow. He leaned forward, bracing his feet against the wall, and extending his right hand. "Subaru!"

"Uh!" She gasped. "You're not…."

"It's the only way."

She grabbed his hand. "Mach Caliber, ACS Mode!"

Soran cringed as she began to pull. He looked back at the ID core on his shoulder, sneering as he watched it begin. "RNGH! MORE!"

Subaru's eyes were filled with tears. "Blitz Caliber, ACS Boost Powerup!" Her boots shot out loads of steam as the rpm doubled.

"MORE!" Blood and mechanical fluids started to spurt from the wound.

Fate and Nanoha locked arms around his midsection. "_Sonic Move!_" Both of their devices cried.

"JORMUNGAND ZWEI! YOU WON'T HOLD ME!" He screamed as the final connection within the bone snapped. They sailed into the opposite wall with extreme speed, Soran screaming in pain. They all stumbled out of the hole in the wall together, Soran going to his knees, numb from the pain as his blood dripped from the open wound.

Subaru plopped down facefirst next to him, Nanoha and Fate landing on the opposite side. Subaru started giggling, soon opening her mouth to let out an actual laugh. The other three took a little longer to replay the situation, also finding it funny enough to issue a few chortles.

"_Have your laugh._" The room went silent. "_I no longer need you._" The armor expanded, stiffening and healing itself. "_You are a weak excuse for a human being._" The helmet materialized. "_You lack the resolve to take revenge._" Jor yanked his fist out of the wall, sending rocks flying. "_You lack the courage to wield perfection._" The armor rose to its full height and yanked the Caster Staff out of the stone. "_Someone like you cannot possibly be the son of Gene Starwind. Therefore, you are not Soran Starwind!_" The helmet opened, revealing the green-haired Soran with red eyes. "I am." Everyone gasped that could. "I am everything that you are not. I have fixed all of your flaws. I am what you could never achieve… perfection."

"He's… manifested himself… physically." Soran was in total shock. "That's impossible."

"A fully autonomous sentient ID, uncontrolled by anyone but itself…." Fate narrowed her gaze. "Driven only by its own ruthless logic."

"By association, you are friends and allies of my target, therefore you are also targeted for elimination. Prepare to die!" He pulled out his saber and rushed forward.

"Kgh!" Subaru leapt up and crossed her fists.

"_Protection Powered._" Subaru's bright blue shield expanded to protect all four of them.

"Cross Mirage, please!" Nanoha raised the gun and pulled the trigger, shooting him in the chest with a big enough explosion to knock him back.

"There's no room in this universe for two Sorans. And I'll choose the original any day!" Subaru snarled as she assumed battle stance.

"Subaru, be careful! He might have all my abilities, including the elementals!"

Her wing road spread. "I'll be careful." She rushed onto the ramp, rolling over the dark Soran's head, the road whirling into a semi-spiral over his head.

"You will be dead!" Jor merged with the staff again and raised his knuckle to the sky, sending out two ice bursts that ripped through sections of the road.

Subaru pulled back just as the cold chunk passed in front of her nose. Her right-hand Revolver Knuckle ate up two cartridges. "_Range Revolver._"

She pulled back before diving headfirst into the gap, swinging her fist towards him. "Revolver Shoot!" A shockwave hurtled from it, the recoil sending her back to the other side of the Wing Road.

Without even looking up, Jor raised his hand over his head. When it intersected the shockwave, he swung his arm, tossing the energy into the wall, creating a small explosion. "Futile."

"Kgh." She closed her eyes. "I have to embrace what I am, for Soran's sake." She opened them again as they shifted into amber. "Mach Caliber, Third Gear Excellion."

"_Excellion Gear – Full Drive._" Her ankles grew fin fliers, and the coolant system for the wheels doubled in size as the rpm increased. "_ACS Standby._"

Subaru narrowed her gaze as she accelerated. The Wing Road branched off, swerving and banking every which way, as Jor continued to pump shots out at her. Then it turned straight for him. "Revolver…!" Subaru pulled her arm back.

"Taking me on directly? A foolish mistake." He also pulled his fist back for a strike. Both fists flew forward, and just as they were about to intersect, Mach Caliber warped the wing road, banking it to the left.

Subaru's fist slammed into his side. "CANNON!" A massive shockwave slammed into him, sending Jor sliding to the side… all of five inches. "UH?!" She tried to circle around him, but his right hand caught her.

"Let me show you a real Revolver Cannon." Jor cocked a shot. "Crush Pulse!" The shockwave slammed into her stomach as he released her from his grip.

"DYAH!" She squeaked as she was sent flying, trapped by the pressure.

"Su!" Soran gasped.

"_ACS Active._" Mach Caliber spoke, generating a thick wing road under her wheels as a magic circle appeared in the middle of the shockwave. "_Strike Burnout._" The ID spun up incredibly fast, using the wing road as friction. Their reverse motion slowed to a halt as the boots began to glow red hot and the coolant system belched out smoke.

Subaru's left fist cocked four cartridges and slammed the spinning revolver into the magic circle. She spread her hand and the barrier was destroyed. The girl rushed ahead so quickly that she was giving off afterimages. Her right fist cocked four more as it began vibrating. "Burnout Wrecker!" Her fist slammed into his face, taking his entire head off. The after-images caught up, revealing that she was actually a good ten feet away, her wheel tracks continuing forward, smoldering with flames. She panted hard, sweating, leaving her arms limp at her sides. Mach Caliber desperately tried to suck in cooler air. Both revolvers opened up and ejected their used cartridges, which detonated from the heat soon after. "That had… to get him…."

The armor just stood there, headless, before it abruptly lifted its fist and fired an ice shot that blew her into the wall. "_You are a nuisance._" The helmet materialized on his shoulders. "_I have perfected the human form._" It shimmered away as a new head finished forming. "No longer is the human core a weakness."

Subaru rolled through the ice block as it melted around her, none the worse for wear. "Ah, that was a nice cool down. Thanks for the assist, Jor."

Soran smirked at her tease. "Su, you can attack the body all you want, but there's nothing in there that will take permanent damage! His core is the ID itself!"

She bit her lip. "The ID... huh?"

Soran crouched down, closing his eyes as his magical triangle appeared under him. 'This is all I've got left without an emulator, Su. Use it.' Floating around him were a ball of plasma and a ball of fire.

Subaru jumped next to him and pulled her fists back, a magical ring whirling around them both. "Lightning Buster!" Her left fist impacted the ball, sending it hurtling towards Jor. "Inferno Buster!" Her right connected, and in the ember trail, she followed.

The electricity plowed into Jor, crackling throughout the armor as he smirked, raising his left hand in a magic seal. "That's…!" Soran gasped. The fireball turned the armor red hot as it passed around him, illuminating the pitch black and purple sphere he held in his clawed hand.

"Feel the power of darkness." Jor hurled it at Subaru, and she pulled back her revolver, cocking a shot.

"No Su! Don't attack…!" But the warning came too late, as she plowed her fist into it. It had a two-pronged effect, the outer layer spread out, turning into pitch black daggers that kept flying at a slightly altered angle, and the inner core exploded in Subaru's face. "Engh!" Soran forced himself up, diving for Bardiche, swinging its Zanber form up to take the black needles before they hit the disabled commanders. He dropped the ID as Subaru was blown back into him.

Nanoha watched wide eyed. "Soran… you…."

"Tchey…." He put Subaru down. "Explain, Jor! I lost my ability to control Darkmatter when I lost my arm!"

"That was… Darkmatter?" Fate gasped.

Subaru shook the cobwebs out of her head. "Darkmatter? What's that?"

"It's my perfect opposite." Nanoha grunted as she pushed herself up to sitting position. "The only power that's a full answer to white magic. I always wondered why Soran never used it, but…."

"Hahahahaha!" Jor threw his head back and laughed. "I have already overcome that little handicap. I can use that power at any point, faster and more potent than you ever could control."

Soran spat. "We can't win this."

"Yes we can." Fate sat up. "Darkmatter is a rare substance that can't be seen. If we force him to use all of it up in the air, he'll be open to attack."

"Then that's the plan then!" Subaru got up again.

"No, it's not." Soran sighed. "We're in a chunk of the destroyed universe." He picked up a piece of rubble and it began to glow purple. "Darkmatter is the only thing holding this rock together. It's in every piece." He hung his head. "Even if we could drain the Darkmatter, we'd be sending the ceiling down on top of us. It's over."

It was silent for a moment, the reality of the situation sinking in. "Subaru!" Tea and Erio stared at her through the bars.

She took a deep breath and let it out her nose, standing up and pulling out two magazines of cartridges from her pockets. "We still have our friends to save. Soran promised to release them, but there's no guarantee that Jormungand will." The revolvers opened loading ports and she stuck the magazines in, the revolvers spinning and loading the new magic cylinders. "Besides… I'll keep fighting until I'm in pieces!" The empty magazines were sent flying as she stepped in front of them all. "This one decides it forever!" She slammed both her fists into the ground, and the revolvers pulled back on her arm and clicked forward, spewing out steam as all of the cartridges cocked at once.

Nanoha jolted. "24?! Subaru, that kind of power is too much for you!"

"Twen…" Soran looked at her in disbelief. "Subaru, nothing is worth that much! Eject them!"

"We'll die anyway if I don't. Calibers!"

"_Polar Form._" Her right hand turned pitch black, and her left hand turned white.

She spread her hands as a swirling energy of opposite color appeared above her palms. "Positive energy. Negative energy." She brought both tempestuous powers together in front of her, compacting it until her hands clasped together, containing it. A shockwave threw the other three back as she leaned forward, putting her combined fists on a straight path to Jor. "Neutron…." Her boots rocketed her forward, rocks flying into the air as she passed. Jor put up a barrier, but it was broken through easily as she slammed the fists into his chest. "BREAKAAAAAAAAAAA!" There was a bright flash of light and an explosion that hit the ceiling.

Subaru was flung back into the wall above Soran. He caught her as she fell. "Oh, Subaru!" Her flesh was torn off in places, revealing the cables and gears and pistons that made up some of her inner frame. He cupped her good cheek, and a tear ran from his eye. "You idiot!"

"Don't… talk to me about… being an idiot." She smiled, her motions jerky, twitching. "This… can be repaired. But I'm happy… to see that you… really do care."

"Subaru…." He hugged her as best he could with one arm.

"Soran, she'll be fine, I promise. She's come back from this kind of damage before." Nanoha examined her after she crawled over.

"_Dark Javelin._"

"Enh?!" Soran gasped as Jor's lance emerged from high in the smoke, landing in the floor, the Darkmatter coating it exploding, separating the four of them. "Guah!" Soran grunted as he hit the floor. "You're still alive?!"

"_I cannot die._" The lance disappeared, reappearing in a flash of light as the smoke cleared. Jor's right claw held onto a wall, while his left had thrown the lance, two strings of remaining armor were all that held the two together, there was no head or body left. "_That attack was indeed powerful._" The helmet reappeared, before shimmering away again. "Too bad it missed its target." He let go and hovered there as the rest of the armor reformed below the neck. "I think that playtime is over. Loading Caster, shell 7." The spear warped into its Gillium form.

"SHIT!" Soran grunted. "Come on, move!"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The black wings sprouted, each wing splitting into three pieces that spread out at the sides of the staff. Red particles spewed from the air holes, covering the space in between, so it looked sort of like the wings of a bat.

Nanoha forced herself to sit up again, staring at the weapon. Her eyes turned red. "AAHH!" Her jaw dropped in a scream.

"That's… the second shot…" Fate could only muster enough energy to flip over. "Nanoha-chan, run!"

"She can't!" Soran grunted. "The particles of the Viral Lancer are already affecting her! She's seeing a paralyzing illusion!"

"Particles… then what if it hits her?!"

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

"If she takes that spear directly, her brain will shut down permanently!" Soran cringed.

"AGH!" Fate's eyes began to water.

"Viral Lancer! PAGUA SUN FAIRE!" Jormungand dove as the wings were consumed in unearthly fire.

"NANOHA-CHAN!" Fate cried.

Blood splashed across Nanoha's face. "Agh!" She recoiled, closing her eyes for a second before opening them, back to their normal blue. "HUA!" Her breath caught in her throat. "SORAN!"

In front of her was the teen, his teeth gritted as he held Jor's spear with his right hand, directing it into his left shoulder and ribcage, exiting out the other side, the particles being absorbed into his body. "HUAK!" Blood came up between his teeth.

"That was one thing I never expected from you." Even Jor was surprised.

Soran smiled. "The only way to stop shell 7 is to have someone who the virus hasn't targeted take the blow." He snickered as the blood dripped from his wounds, forcing the lance to go in deeper. "I know every Caster, and every Caster's weaknesses. I was the only one who could stop you."

"But why did you stop me?"

"Because… even though I hate what she has done… I still love Nanoha-san!" Nanoha gasped. "She took me under her wing and trained me without even hesitating. She treated me with kindness and respect, no matter what I gave in return. She assumed the role of a sister, but with the caring that I remembered as my mother's."

"Soran…." Nanoha began to cry. "SORAN-KUN!"

"But I was too blinded by revenge to see it! Too blinded to admit that she had suffered from killing my family! And too blinded to see what you were becoming!" He thrust the lance in further as he stood, staring him in the eye. "I made a mistake in creating you. And I'll rectify that mistake, even if it costs me my body and soul!"

"UH?!" Nanoha and Fate's color palette inverted in their eyes. "_I know now that I must face this sin, and I will give everything I have, even if it costs my body and soul, to rectify that mistake._"

"No, you will not, my imperfect other." Jor's clawed hand clenched his neck. "You are already near death. Just one little squeeze will end it for good, and there will be only one Soran Starwind."

"My name is Soran Berkt!" The Dark Trinity flew out of Nanoha's pocket at light speed. Kiryu formed up and stabbed into Jor's right shoulder, severing it, dropping Soran to the floor.

Rainbow Zwei hit him in the forehead. "_Glacier._" His face froze and shattered.

Barrage charged up and stabbed Jor in the left underarm. "_Nerai wa utz!_" The explosion sent Jor flying away, yanking out the spear in the process.

"GUAAAAAAAHHH!" Soran screamed as he hit the floor. Rainbow mounted on his back, spreading his barrier jacket's cape, and Hayate's signature black wings spread from it, dragging him to the Curse Field as the others followed.

"Soran-kun…." Nanoha followed with her gaze.

"Soran…." Fate watched in disbelief.

"Mr. Meanie…." Vivio couldn't also help but gaze into the viewer.

Soran emerged from the Curse Field, fully healed, his staff in Gillium form. The cape had disappeared, replaced by Hayate's eight black wings. His feet were surrounded by gold and black square bracelets connected to his boots, his wrist with a blue and gold bracelet on it as well, Fin Fliers emerging from all of them. He had three field generators on his belt, each with the commanders' colors. "_Gillium Striker Form!_"

Soran looked up as Jor reformed his head and right arm, covering the left armpit and snarling. The teen said nothing as he dashed forward. Before Jor could turn his head, Soran swung his staff into him, sending him sailing. He changed direction to follow as Kiryu's blade emerged from the staff. "_öffnen_." Appearing above the imposter, he stabbed him in the chest, dragging him across the floor before swinging and ripping the blade out through his face, sending him flying into the far wall.

"Sterilize the imperfection!" Jor yelled from his hole and an orb of Darkmatter the size of a beach ball targeted Soran.

Kiryu's blade closed up. "_Cyclone Shot._" Rainbow Zwei stated as the staff head was surrounded in green wind. The boy just smirked as he backhanded his staff into the ball, sending it for a return while absorbing the pieces of the first layer that came off.

"It's a rebound!" Erio balled his fist.

Spinning around, a golden orb appeared on the head of the barrel as he put it against his arm. Everyone that was watching called out. "Nerai wa utz!" The golden energy tore into the dark matter and exploded in proximity to the imposter, sending him to the floor.

"Kgh." Jor said as he got up, a spark jumping from his shoulder.

"Hmm?" Soran blinked, then grinned evilly. "You're injured." In Jor's ID crystal, there was a small hairline fracture.

"It doesn't matter." Jor leapt up, closing his helmet. "_I have more than enough power to eliminate you all!_"

Soran's eyes went wide. "I won't let you!" He fired round after round from his staff.

Jor raised his hand, and a red orb of scrawl formed around him. "_Heheheheh._"

"No! He managed to restore the Power Shell!"

"_Loading Caster, shell 9._"

Nanoha jumped up, shaking her head. "No… not in here! He's using the Singularity Cannon!"

"_Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa._"

"Soran, stop it before it gets wings!" Erio yelled.

Soran shook his head. "I can't. Shell 9 is the exception to the rule. If I don't let it complete… then we could destroy the universe, just like this one had."

"Then there has to be a way to stop it!" Tea screamed over the chanting. "You're the Caster expert! You should know how to stop it!"

"You don't understand! No one's witnessed a successful Shell 9 attack! You can't stop what you don't know!"

"Then use your own, Soran!" Fate hurled her used 9 at him. "There has to be a way to use that against him!"

Soran sighed and squared his footing as he hooked the staff under his arm. "Hatch open." It did and he shoved it in, slamming the lid with his elbow. "Load shell 9."

"_Unable to comply._" The neck opened and ejected it.

"Woah!" He caught it quickly. "It's rejecting it like the regular 9!"

"Try pre-charging it! We're running out of time!" Fate yelled as Jor's staff spread eight pitch black wings, dropping the Power Shield.

Soran closed his eyes. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." The shell began to glow and vibrate.

Subaru awoke to a shaking. She jerkily moved her hand to her chest, where the Caster necklace that Soran had made for her rested. They all glowed and began vibrating. "Soran…." She pulled it off in one swift motion, snapping the bindings and setting the used Casters free. They floated up, whirling around in a spiral in order as they came closer to their tenth brethren in Soran's fingers.

Soran opened his eyes and couldn't be more amazed as he let go of his Caster. As he continued to chant, each of the used casters swirled into place, locking in around the others like magnets. Once the type 1 and 0 clicked in, all of them were crushed together. In a bright flash of light, a single unused Caster remained labeled 10. "Fate-san, you were right about the attractive properties… all ten used Casters put together…."

"SORAN-KUN!" Nanoha yelled, bringing him out of his stupor.

"Engh! LOAD CASTER, SHELL 10!" He slammed the hatch shut.

"_Loading._" The Dark Trinity shattered, stunning Soran as it reformed in his hand into a golden shotgun. "_Perfect Gillium Form!_"

He raised it to bear. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

"_You are far too late to do anything. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa._" The eight wings flapped, emitting dark energy that collected into a central orb that had a swirling black mass inside.

"It's not even spreading its wings…." Soran grunted between chants. "Are we too late?" He felt his strength leaving him, the catalytic necessary to fire draining him too far. A hand grabbed his arm and hiked him over the shoulder. "Nanoha-san…."

She smiled at him as her hand joined his on the gun. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

Fate and Subaru put their hands on his other shoulder. "Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa."

"Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa. Pagua sunfa." From each cell window came a voice, their emitter closing his or her eyes and concentrating.

'Everyone… I can feel….'

"Us." Soran opened his eyes, the black space surrounding him, a man and a woman standing in front of him.

"Mom? Dad?!"

Gene smirked. "You figured out the puzzle, kid. The one I couldn't. I'm proud of you."

"The leyline is giving you this gift, so we can see you one more time." Melfina smiled a genuine smile. "You've grown into a strong and handsome man, Soran."

"The Outlaw Star is yours now, son. Treat her with care. From now on, you have to guard the Casters. Make sure this threat never happens again."

"And always remember we love you, no matter where you are." She sighed. "The universe is calling us." She turned away. Gene gave him a two fingered salute before following.

"_Singularity Cannon – Maximum Power! PAGUA SUN FAIRE!_" Jormungand Zwei completed it. The orb of darkness hurtled forth to extinguish them from the dimension.

Everything stood still, as the Dark Trinity spread pure white wings. "To protect our universe!" Two tears flew from his eyes as he opened them. "PAGUA SUN FAIRE!"

A burst of white light exploded out of the cannon as it intersected with the black hole. Everything was flung into darkness. "Soran Berkt." A gray arrow shimmered.

"Subaru Nakajima." A blue arrow touched his.

"Takamachi Nanoha."

"Fate T. Harlown." Two arrows, one red and one yellow, clashed with the white one.

The gray arrow split in two, one white and one black. "_Soran Starwind._" All four turned on the black one, hitting it every which way, as arrows from all colors of the rainbow surrounded the battle. The fight was enveloped in white.

"ETERNAL GUARDIAN BUSTER!" Soran yelled at the top of his lungs, and the white light consumed the singularity completely, stretching past it, enveloping Jormungand Zwei.

"_GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"_ The ID core cracked completely, shattering as the armor began to disintegrate. The attack kept going, burrowing up through the cave, bursting through the pocket universe and sending a bright white signal into the sunset-colored sky in the real world.

Soran fell to the floor, as did all his teammates, panting heavily. He gritted his teeth hard, trying to concentrate. The images of each cell disappeared, and soon the captives were rushing up to their level as the gates opened. "You did it, Soran." Subaru kissed him. "We can go home now, to where everyone is waiting."

"Sorry, Su…" Soran cringed. "But this is where I get off…." He swallowed. "If I lose my concentration… the Curse Field will drop…." He panted. "When that happens… all my wounds will come back… at twice the severity as when it healed. The only way to stop it… is if another wound is made more severe than the first in the same spot."

Nanoha covered her mouth. "But with all the damage you took."

"2, 7, and 9 are the suicide three for a reason. You're not meant to survive." A tear ran down his cheek. "Su… take care of Gillium and the Star, she's yours now. And tell Ginga how sorry I am." He collapsed. "Gomen… otou-san… okaa-san… ore wa…." He didn't see Fate pull out her sword. He only saw red… then black.

Three years later…

Sirens rang out through the halls. "_Warning. Warning. Caster energy detected._" Gillium's cylinders slid on their tracks.

Subaru ran through the corridor and leapt up the stairs as it opened, swinging into the main pilot seat. "Talk to me."

"_Caster energy has been detected in sector 3 thanks to slipstream flow._"

"Sector 3 is going through an interstellar war right now, Subaru." Tea read through the report on her terminal on her right.

"Then there's no doubt that they're using one. Engh." Erio grunted from in front of her.

"We'll need to determine the type when we get there." Caro said from the left seat.

"Rein." Subaru turned to the liquid cylinder.

'Already plotted. Jump charge is set.'

"All hands prepare for slipstream jump! Erio!"

"Jumping!" The screen and their bodies warped in front of them, before snapping back to reality, a space battle directly in front of them.

"Family wave is on deck and ready." Fate called from the airlock.

"Understood. Resistance seems heavy. Be careful out there."

"Always." Fate smiled.

"And where is that one?" Nanoha looked around, pouting.

"Where do you think?" The airlock closed behind them and it depressurized.

She sighed. "Geez, that little brother of mine…. Takamachi Nanoha, heading out." The outside door opened, and they flew out.

"Fate T.H. Takamachi, launching."

An entity stood on the nose and watched their pink and yellow trails. He closed his eyes and pushed off gently, letting the ship pass under him. 'I'm not perfect, far from it. And I never will be. I made a horrible mistake, and I have to live with that. But instead of looking for my place with revenge, I've found where I belong, my destiny. With these friends, this family, right here, right now. I'll not forget who I am. I now know that I am…' He balled his left fist and opened his eyes as he passed the jump engines. "Soran Berkt Takamachi… deru!" His blue trail quickly caught up with them.


	25. Chapter 245

StrikerS: Pursuit of Perfection 24.5

The Quivering Stoic

"Levantine!" Signum slid to the side, whipping out her blade.

"_Schlagenform."_ The sword broke apart, its snake-like pieces hurling towards the black-haired teen in the upgraded barrier jacket.

"Garyu Zwei." The blade extended in his right hand. Soran parried the pieces that swung close to him. "Hnh." The air rippled around his ankles before he leapt into the air.

"You think that will keep you safe?!" Signum looked up and the tip of her sword lanced for him.

His fin fliers tilted him around so he was in perfect position to clash with it, their weapons both ringing loudly. Twirling his blade around, he hooked two pieces of Levantine around Garyu and pulled it tight, reaching out with his left arm. "Rainbow Zwei!" The staff appeared at his side and immediately fell to the floor. "Huh?" He blinked, remembering that he had no left arm to work with. "Aw, shit."

"You're done!" Signum yanked Levantine back as hard as she could, swinging him to the padded wall. He hit it with a painful crunch, cringing as he stayed indented before falling to the floor.

"_Simulation over. Winner: Signum._" The morphing field deactivated around them.

Soran pushed himself up, shaking his head. "Well that one stung."

Signum held her hand out to him and pulled him up when he grasped it. "You need to reverse that automatic fighting style. I was right to ask for a sparring match."

"You're right, Signum-budaichou. Ever since Fate-san…." He fingered his missing appendage, now also missing the shoulder. "The new arm needs constant recalibration."

She nodded as they headed back to the main building. "She did that to save you, you realize."

"Yeah, I know. She figured out how to beat the trick of the Curse Field. By cutting off my arm up to the stab wound and slicing an X into my back. Some part of me thinks she actually enjoyed that though." Soran shook the thought out of his head. "Anyway, with the Scaglietti Twelve all in jail cells, he's out of the question for getting a new prototype arm. And since none of our techies know as much about the science as he, I've got to get used to this whole armless thing all over again. So thank you, Signum."

She nodded. "Although I didn't do it for your sake alone, Soran." She stopped in her tracks, her fist balled.

"Unh?" Soran stopped a couple of steps away and turned around.

"Lately I've felt anxious… distracted…. I had hoped my spar with you would rid me of that."

"Did it work?"

"Only temporarily, as you can see." She lifted her shaking fist.

"You want to talk about it? Let's head to the mess hall, get some lunch, and have a sit down."

She bit her lip. "Not there. Too many ears. Soran, come to my quarters, please."

Soran raised his eyebrow. "Okay… weird request there. This had better not be a love confessional, because after Caro…." She shot him a glare that burned a dot onto his forehead. "Right, silly me."

Signum put down a plate of sashimi in front of him, and placed one in front of her setting on the low table. Soran stopped surveying the room once she sat down across from him. The place was sparse, very dim in its lighting, meditative in nature. "Please eat." Signum picked up a piece of taka and spread some wasabi on it before gulping it down.

"Um… okay…." He swallowed, not sure what to expect from this homemade lunch. He picked up a slice of eel. "Here goes…." His eyes went wide as he chomped down. "Woah, that was better than I thought it would." She glared at him again. "Sorry."

She sighed. "Well I suppose it's not normal for the warrior who knows only battle to be expected to be culinarily inclined. However a true warrior knows that the blade has many uses outside of taking your enemy's life. It is a side that not many see."

"I'm honored you would trust me enough to show me that side."

She nodded. After finishing her meal, she placed her chopsticks down and stared at Soran. "The Casters are the cause of my uneasiness."

Soran had just taken a bite of inari as she said it, the rest dangling out of his mouth. He pulled it off and swallowed the rest quickly. "Continue."

"You would not remember this, as you were in stasis at the time, but after the final battle, we were forced to issue a public statement on the recent events and the lives that were lost. That included a sparse mention of the Casters."

Soran balled his fist. "So all the dimensions know about them…."

"Ever since then, there have been signs of discord in the allied governments. Some are claiming that TSAB was guilty of war crimes in the Presean War to cover up the weapon."

"Bushfire…."

"Others are accusing them of attempting to obtain the weapon without their knowledge, in an attempt to overthrow everyone."

"Something which they can't completely deny either…." Soran shook his head.

"Since then, there's been internal discord. And even though its research is outlawed, there are signs that other governments are seeking out singularity-based weaponry again. Soran, we're in the midst of a Cold War." Signum closed her eyes and turned away.

Soran pinched the bridge of his nose. "How close are they? How close are they to making a Caster?"

"No one in the next few hundred generations will come close to making a Caster, Soran. You know that. What we're up against now will be something far less controlled, and far more destructive. It will make the neutron bomb look like a mosquito bite." Soran's eyes went wide. "It could happen at any time. No one knows exactly how close they are. But when they do…."

"The powder kegs will be set off, and another interdimensional war will begin." Soran gritted his teeth. "Just like Perseus… no, it's our duty to make sure that travesty never happens again. It's our duty as survivors of that war… and my duty as Caster Guardian."

"Now you know why I am not at ease, and why I asked you to come here instead of the mess hall."

Soran nodded. "My sister… um… Nanoha-san, how much of this does she know?"

"She knows enough that she can't toy with the recruits anymore. They need to be battle ready at any time."

"As do we." Soran stood up and bowed. "Signum-san, any time you want to spar again, please feel free to call. I'm going to see Shari about my arm. Thank you for the meal."

"And thank you, Soran." She bowed before the door closed.

Soran tromped down the hall, the Dark Trinity in his hand. 'War…. Another war…. I'm finally in a position to do something. To make sure that another Presean Slaughter doesn't occur… to make sure that the Casters stay where they belong…. I must be ready… need to be ready.' He stopped at a window and stared at the sunset. 'It's coming… this Lyrical Magical War.'

To be continued...


	26. Announcement

Soran Berkt and the crew of Magical Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS returns for a brand new adventure!

That's right, the long awaited sequel, based off of ViVid and Force, has arrived!

Soran's past and future are revealed as a new enemy threatens the dimensions known and unknown.

Leyline Expedition Force begins now! Search for it on my homepage!


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